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Oberammergau 


By 
JOSEPHINE  HELENA  SHORT 


ILLUSTRATED 


New   York 

THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  &  CO. 

Publishers 


Copyright,  1910, 
By  THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  &  COMPANY. 


Published  May,  igio. 


3235 


To 

Anton  and  Mathilde  hang 

and  My  Other  Friends 

in  Oberammergau 


THEATRE  ARTS 


Preface 

IN  August  of  1900  I  saw  the  Passion  Play  in 
Oberammergau.  During  the  days  that  fol- 
lowed, my  thoughts,  constantly  returning  to 
the  little  village,  especially  on  the  days  when  the 
Play  was  given,  led  me  back  for  a  longer  stay  and 
three  performances  of  the  Play,  and  eventually 
again  drew  me  back  from  Scotland  for  the  last 
three  representations  and  another  month  in  the 
interesting  little  community.  My  visits  with  my 
friends  there  during  the  intervening  years  have 
always  given  me  the  same  pleasure  and  inspira- 
tion. 

There  is  no  other  village  like  Oberammergau. 
The  people  there  are  united  by  one  ideal,  the  ful- 
filment of  a  vow  made  by  their  forefathers  nearly 
three  hundred  years  ago.  They  feel  that  they 
were  born  for  this  purpose  and  to  it  they  devote 
their  lives.  They  represent  their  Passion  Play 
now  with  the  same  love  and  reverence  with  which 
they  have  given  it  through  the  centuries. 

"  Oberammergau  und  sein  Passionsspiel,  1910," 
by  Ferdinand  Feldigl,  gives  the  feeling  of  the 
village  in  the  words  of  the  Burgomaster,  Johann 
Lang,  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the 
new  Passion  theatre  in  1899 :  "  As  we  again 
approach  the  fulfilment  of  the  vow  of  our  fore- 


vi  PREFACE 

fathers,  who  can  censure  us  if  we  have  en- 
deavored to  place  upon  our  Play  the  stamp  of  our 
great  time,  in  so  far  as  it  allows  itself  to  be  united 
with  our  inherited  traditions  ?  But  though  we 
wish  to  respond  to  the  reasonable  wishes  of  the 
public,  we  are  not  willing  to  allow  ourselves  to  be 
tempted  by  the  applause  of  the  crowd  to  open  all 
our  gates  and  doors  to  new  things.  We  will  hold 
fast  to  the  ideals  of  which  our  Passion  Play  is  the 
basis.  May  the  day  never  come  on  which  Am- 
mergau  breaks  faith  with  its  traditions.  On  the 
contrary,  may  there  hover  over  us  and  animate  us 
in  the  new  theatre  also,  the  old  spirit,  the  spirit  of 
our  fathers." 

The  adherence  of  the  community  to  this  one 
lofty  ideal  for  so  long  a  period  has  developed  a 
character  so  strong,  so  consistent,  that  even  in  the 
glare  of  publicity  which  surrounds  them  every  ten 
years  they  keep  their  inborn  simplicity  and  unself- 
consciousness  and  are  able  not  only  to  impersonate, 
but  for  the  time  actually  to  live,  the  characters  they 
represent. 

All  who  make  their  journey  to  Oberammergau 
a  pilgrimage  will  find  their  anticipations  realized 
both  in  the  lives  of  the  villagers  and  in  their 
presentation  of  the  Passion  Play,  the  most  moving 
religious  observance  in  the  world  to-day. 

J.  H.  S. 


Contents 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  The  Village  and  the  People        .         .  i 

II.  Origins  of  the  Play      ....  5 

III.  Practice  Plays  and  the  Players  .         .  15 

IV.  The  Charge  of  Commercialism     .         .  22 
V.  Choice  of  Characters  ....  28 

VI.  The  Production 35 

VII.  The  Production  {Continued)          .         .  60 

VIII.  Closing  Scenes  of  Passion  Summer       .  81 


Vll 


X  ILLUSTRATIONS 

OPPOSITE  PAGE 

The  Christus,  1900,  19 10  .        .        .         .44 

Mary,  1900 48 

Leader  of  the  Chorus,  1890,  1900,  19 10         .  52 

The  Lord's  Supper 56 

SCHUTZGEIST,    OnE    OF      ChOKUS    OF    PROTECTING 

Spirits 58 

The  Sanhedrim 60 

Peter,  1900 64 

Judas,  1890,  1900,  1910 66 

Pilate,  1900,  1910 68 

Pilate  on  the  Balcony  of  his  Palace     .        .  72 

John,  1890,  1900 76 

The  Scene  of  the  Crucifixion          ...  78 

Johann  Lang 82 


OBERAMMERGAU 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  VILLAGE  AND  THE  PEOPLE 

THE  peaceful  village  of  Oberammergau 
lies  in  the  Highlands  of  Bavaria,  about 
seventy  miles  southwest  of  Munich.  It 
is  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  larch-  and  fir-clad 
mountains,  the  nearest  of  which  is  a  craggy  peak 
called  the  Kofel,  the  guardian  of  the  village.  On 
its  summit  a  lofty  cross,  fitting  emblem  of  Ober- 
ammergau, is  the  first  object  to  meet  the  traveller's 
eye  as  he  approaches  the  valley.  The  village, 
with  an  altitude  of  2,745  feet,  stands  in  the  midst 
of  green  fields  on  the  banks  of  the  shining 
Ammer,  a  swift  mountain  stream,  that  winding  in 
from  the  meadows  speeds  through  the  village  and 
out  into  the  meadows  again.  The  white  houses, 
each  surrounded  by  a  flower-garden  and  many  of 
them  decorated  with  bright  frescoes  of  Biblical  sub- 
jects, painted  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  cluster  around  the  village  church,  the 
tower  of  which,  surmounted  by  its  small  mosque- 
like  dome,    seems  to  keep  guard  over  the  little 


2  OBERAMMERGAU 

place.  The  churchyard  is  a  beautiful,  peaceful 
spot,  where  after  service  the  worshippers  stop  to 
say  a  prayer  over  the  flower-covered  graves  of 
their  dear  ones.  This  is  the  beautiful  home  of  a 
people  who  have  reverently  dedicated  their  lives 
to  one  great  purpose,  which  they  have  followed 
out  with  such  steadfastness  that  their  tiny  isolated 
village  has  become  known  to  the  whole  world. 

The  fact  that  the  name  of  Oberammergau,  w^hich 
means  "  upper  district  of  the  Ammer,"  is  on  al- 
most every  tongue,  that  newspapers  and  period- 
icals are  making  constant  reference  to  the  little 
village  and  its  Passion  Play,  does  not  mean  that 
the  people  of  Oberammergau  are  doing  some  new 
thing.  For  five  hundred  years  or  more  they  have 
been  giving  the  Passion  Play  for  themselves,  and 
probably  with  just  as  much  love  and  devotion  as 
they  do  now  even  when  so  many  of  the  world  go 
to  see  them. 

The  enthusiastic  accounts  written  by  Guido 
Gorres,  Baron  de  Roisin,  and  Ludwig  Steub  of 
the  Passion  Play  of  1840  were  perhaps  Oberam- 
mergau's  first  introduction  to  the  world.  It  was 
still  more  widely  heralded  by  Edward  Devrient's 
splendid  description  of  the  representation  of  1850, 
when  Tobias  Plunger's  Christus  so  entirely  ful- 
filled Devrient's  ideal  of  the  sacred  character. 
Dean  Stanley  saw  the  Passion  Play  in  i860  and 
wrote  a  most  appreciative  account  of  it. 


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THE  VILLAGE  AND  THE  PEOPLE       3 

In  1870  the  Play  was  interrupted  by  the  Franco- 
Prussian  war  and  many  of  the  principal  performers 
were  drafted  for  service,  even  Joseph  Mayr,  the 
Christusof  that  year,  being  obliged  to  go.  Through 
the  favor  of  the  King,  however,  he  w^as  not  called 
into  active  service  but  was  stationed  at  Munich. 
The  following  year,  when  peace  was  declared,  the 
Oberammergauers  asked  permission  from  the 
government  to  resume  the  interrupted  perform- 
ances as  a  thanksgiving  for  the  victorious  termina- 
tion of  the  war. 

People  came  in  great  numbers  to  this  represen- 
tation and  the  Play  has  become  more  widely 
known  each  decade  until  now  the  audience  is 
made  up  of  visitors  from  almost  every  part  of  the 
globe,  instead  of  the  peasants  from  the  surround- 
ing villages  who  were  formerly  the  sole  witnesses. 
Formerly  the  road  to  Oberammergau  fulfilled  the 
Ammergau  proverb,  "  The  way  to  the  Passionsspiel 
should  be  a  way  of  penance,"  as  it  led  up  so  steep 
a  mountain  road  that  even  those  who  went  in 
carriages  had  to  dismount  and  toil  up  the  steepest 
part  while  four  horses  had  much  difficulty  in  pull- 
ing up  the  empty  carriage.  To-day  the  traveller 
is  taken  by  rail  to  the  very  outskirts  of  the  village. 

Of  the  two  hundred  thousand  or  more  people 
who  visited  Oberammergau  in  1900,  compara- 
tively few  spent  more  than  a  day  in  the  little  vil- 
lage.   The  majority  went  away  knowing  little  of  the 


4  OBERAMMERGAU 

lives  and  history  of  the  inhabitants.  All  must  have 
been  deeply  impressed  by  the  Passion  Play  and 
many  by  even  the  little  they  saw  of  the  villagers ; 
others,  incapable  of  appreciating  the  devoted  spirit 
of  the  little  community,  carried  away  erroneous 
ideas  which  have  been  given  to  the  world.  It 
must  be  largely  through  these  superficial  observa- 
tions that  the  report  has  gone  abroad  that  the 
Oberammergauers  have  been  spoiled  by  so  much 
adulation  and  contact  with  the  world  and  that 
they  have  commercialized  their  Passion  Play. 

The  Oberammergauers  are  not  spoiled  and 
they  have  not  commercialized  their  Play,  which 
will  be  proved  in  a  following  chapter.  They 
are  so  united  in  following  their  one  high  ideal 
which  is  founded  on  the  rock  of  centuries  of  tradi- 
tion and  custom,  that  the  tides  of  worldly  visitors 
which  threaten  to  submerge  the  village  at  the  end 
of  every  decade  flow  away  leaving  very  little  im- 
pression on  the  strong  personality  of  the  inhab- 
itants. 


CHAPTER  II 

ORIGINS  OF  THE  PLAY 

THOUGH  Oberammergau,  hemmed  in  by 
mountains  and  remote  from  great  centres, 
has  been  so  Httle  known  until  within 
recent  years,  its  history  carries  us  back  to  the 
time  of  the  Romans.  The  old  Roman  road  from 
Italy  to  Augsburg,  the  Roman  stronghold  in  the 
province  of  Vindelicia,  passed  through  the  Valley 
of  the  Ammer,  and  the  Roman  legions  had  a  sta- 
tion there  which  they  called  "Ad  Coveliacas," 
meaning  the  Station  at  the  Kofel.  At  a  later 
period,  during  the  Teutonic  invasions,  the  barbaric 
hordes  swept  down  and  drove  the  Romans  back 
into  Italy  and  then  occupied  the  country  them- 
selves. It  is  probable  that  the  Bavarians,  though 
descended  from  the  Teutons,  have  also  Celtic  and 
Italian  blood  in  their  veins.  And  indeed,  though 
they  speak  the  German  tongue,  the  inhabitants  of 
Oberammergau  seem  to  be,  not  of  the  German 
type,  but  a  type  by  themselves.  The  Celtic  ele- 
ment in  their  blood  may  account  partly  for  their 
peculiar  artistic  development. 

Even  in  the  early  times,  when  most  of  the  vil- 

5 


6  OBERAMMERGAU 

lages  of  the  country  were  in  a  condition  of 
serfdom,  Oberammergau  had  certain  privileges 
held  only  by  free  towns.  In  the  year  1330  the 
Emperor  Ludwig  of  Bavaria  founded  in  the 
beautiful  Valley  of  Ettal,  three  miles  from  Ober- 
ammergau, a  monastery,  whose  romantic  history  is 
closely  interwoven  with  that  of  Oberammergau.  It 
is  related  that  Ludwig,  the  Bavarian,  had  just  been 
crowned  in  Rome  and  that  on  his  journey  home 
he  was  attacked  by  enemies  near  Milan.  While 
he  was  in  the  Monastery  of  Saint  Victor  praying 
for  succor,  a  monk  appeared  to  him  bearing  in 
his  arms  a  beautiful  image  of  the  Madonna.  He 
promised  the  Emperor  divine  aid  if  he  would 
carry  the  sacred  image  north  until  he  should 
receive  a  sign  from  heaven,  and  at  the  place 
where  this  was  given,  found  a  monastery  for  the 
preservation  and  worship  of  the  Madonna.  The 
Emperor  gave  the  promise  and  departed  with  his 
holy  burden. 

The  narrative  goes  on  to  say  that  after  the 
Emperor's  horse  had  climbed  the  steep  road  to 
the  Valley  of  Ettal,  it  knelt  three  times  and  re- 
fused to  go  farther !  The  Emperor  interpreted 
this  as  the  heavenly  message  and  here  he  founded 
the  Monastery  of  Ettal.  About  the  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century  the  buildings  were  struck  by 
lightning  and  burned  to  the  ground,  but  the 
image   was    saved    and    the    Monastery   rebuilt. 


The  New  Eoad  to  Oberammergau 


ORIGINS  OF  THE  PLAY  7 

There  the  miraculous  Httle  Madonna  is  preserved 
and  worshipped  by  many  pilgrims  even  to  this 
day. 

It  is  maintained  by  some  writers  that  this 
Monastery  was  built  by  Emperor  Ludwig  as  a 
Grail  Temple.  It  was  his  father  who  com- 
manded the  Minnesinger,  Wolfram  von  Eschen- 
bach,  to  write  the  epic  poem  "  Titurel,"  in  which 
there  is  a  beautiful  description  of  the  Holy  Grail 
and  the  Casde  of  Monsalvat.  It  would  have 
been  natural  for  the  Emperor  to  have  this  ideal 
in  mind  when  he  founded  this  institution  for  the 
reception  of  the  sacred  statue.  As  guardians  of 
the  image  he  installed  twenty-two  Benedictine 
monks  and  thirteen  knights  with  their  ladies. 
He  chose  a  most  beautiful  region  for  his  Mon- 
astery, and  the  supposition  may  easily  be  true 
that  after  his  rupture  with  the  Vatican  he  quieted 
his  wounded  spirit  by  imagining  himself  another 
Amfortas  as  he  sailed  on  the  calm  waters  of  the 
neighboring  Plansee. 

At  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone,  the  Emperor 
gave  to  the  villagers  of  Oberammergau  a  paper 
recognizing  their  freedom.  This  Monastery  to- 
gether wdth  a  still  older  one  called  Rottenbuch 
has  had  a  great  influence  over  the  people  of 
Oberammergau,  for  their  monks  were  alw^ays 
interested  in  the  gifted  and  devout  villagers  and 
in  fact  had  considerable  jurisdiction  over  them. 


8  OBERAMMERGAU 

A  period  of  great  prosperity  began  at  this  time 
for  the  Httle  mountain  village.  The  road  from 
Verona  to  Augsburg  was  restored,  and  was  used 
now  by  the  gay  hunting  cavalcades  of  the  Em- 
peror, and  again  by  the  caravans  of  German  and 
Italian  merchants.  There  was  a  law  that  all  goods 
had  to  be  unloaded  and  exposed  for  sale  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  the  carters  of  Oberammergau  had  the 
exclusive  right  to  transport  the  goods  to  the 
nearest  station  on  either  side.  This  brought  the 
villagers  into  direct  contact  with  the  civilization 
and  learning  of  the  outside  world,  especially  the 
flourishing  towns  of  Augsburg  and  Nuremberg, 
whence  they  learned  much  of  the  art  of  the 
Middle  Ages.  It  also  gave  them  an  opportunity 
to  dispose  of  their  wood-carvings,  for  which 
they  had  become  noted  even  in  those  early  times. 
These  carvings  were  taken  all  over  Europe, 
partly  by  the  Oberammergauers  themselves  and 
party  by  the  foreign  merchants. 

The  wars  which  began  about  the  middle  of  the 
sixteenth  century  put  an  end  to  this  time  of 
prosperity.  Instead  of  caravans  of  rich  merchants, 
rough  troups  of  soldiers  marched  through  the 
village,  leaving  poverty  and  misery  in  their  train. 
And  all  these  wars  brought  a  heavy  burden  of 
taxation  on  the  poor  villagers. 

In  1633,  the  year  following  the  Swedish  in- 
vasion, the  plague  broke  out  in  the  country.     It 


ORIGINS  OF  THE  PLAY  9 

made  such  terrible  ravages  that  many  of  the  ham- 
lets were  almost  depopulated.  By  maintaining 
the  strictest  quarantine  and  exercising  great  vigi- 
lance and  precaution  Oberammergau  for  some 
time  remained  free  from  the  scourge.  But  Cas- 
par Schiissler,  an  Oberammergauer  who  was 
working  in  Eschenlohe,  a  neighboring  village, 
could  not  resist  the  longing  to  join  his  family  for 
one  of  the  annual  church  festivals,  so  he  came 
over  the  mountains  and  stole  into  the  village  at 
night.  In  three  days  he  died  and  during  the 
next  three  weeks  eighty-four  of  the  people  of 
Oberammergau  succumbed  to  the  pestilence. 

In  their  affliction  the  chief  members  of  the 
community  met  and  made  a  solemn  vow  to  repre- 
sent the  Passion  Tragedy  every  ten  years,  and  the 
chronicle  states  that  "  from  this  time  on  not  a 
single  man  died,  though  many  still  had  symptoms 
of  the  plague  about  them." 

This  vow  was  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of 
the  time,  for  the  period  of  the  plague  abounds  in 
votive  offerings.  Many  cities  and  towns  built 
chapels  or  even  churches,  as  the  church  of  Santa 
Maria  della  Salute  in  Venice  ;  some  made  vows  to 
celebrate  mass  at  certain  times,  and  others  to  have 
sacred  processions. 

Early  in  the  eighteenth  century  came  another 
period  of  peace  and  prosperity  during  which 
Oberammergau   merchants  established  firms  for 


lo  OBERAMMERGAU 

the  sale  of  their  carvings  in  different  parts  of 
Europe,  as  far  away  as  St.  Petersburg  on  the  one 
hand  and  Cadiz  on  the  other.  But  the  heads  of 
these  firms  almost  always  came  back  to  spend 
their  last  days  in  their  beloved  village  and  natu- 
rally they  brought  with  them  many  of  the  customs 
of  the  outside  world. 

Following  this  period  there  came  a  succession 
of  wars  with  their  attendant  evils,  which  lasted 
with  brief  intermissions  down  through  the  first 
fifteen  years  of  the  nineteenth  century.  These 
were  followed  by  failure  of  crops  and  famine. 
Now  and  again  the  river  would  flood  the  village. 

All  these  misfortunes  reduced  the  people  of 
Oberammergau  to  a  state  of  great  poverty,  but 
they  always  remained  faithful  to  their  vow  and 
continued  to  give  their  Passion  Play  ;  and  in  time 
they  renewed  their  wood-carving  industry.  But 
not  until  the  year  1880  did  their  fortunes  begin 
to  mend.  After  the  Passion  Play  of  that  year 
they  were  able  to  pay  some  of  their  debts,  and  to 
begin  some  much-needed  improvements  in  the 
village.  The  river  which  had  often  overflowed  its 
banks  and  flooded  the  valley  was  controlled  by 
embankments,  the  roads  were  improved.  In  later 
years  they  have  put  in  a  new  water  supply  and 
have  founded  a  hospital. 

Ludwig  Lang,  teacher  of  drawing  and  wood- 
carving,   established   a    school   for  wood-carving 




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ORIGINS  OF  THE  PLAY  ii 

and  for  some  years  carried  it  on  without  remuner- 
ation. It  is  now  supported  by  tlie  village,  aided 
by  the  government,  Ludwig  Lang  being  the  di- 
rector. There  is  also  an  excellent  village  school  to 
which  every  child  is  sent  as  soon  as  it  is  six  years 
old. 

Whether  the  Oberammergauers  learned  the  art 
of  wood-carving  from  outside  sources  or  whether 
they  originated  it  themselves  is  not  known,  but 
records  state  that  they  practised  it  early  in  the 
twelfth  century.  In  *'  Oberammergau  and  its  Pas- 
sion Play,"  Frau  Hermine  Diemer  writes  :  "The 
profession  of  carving  was  important.  Territorial 
jurisdiction  adjusted  it  with  regulations  of  its  own 
by  founding  a  Handiverksordming^  '  Guild  of  Ar- 
tisans.' The  carvers  protested  and  the  title  was 
altered  to  Bildschnitzereiorduiing,  '  Guild  of  Wood- 
carvers,'  and  carving  was  to  be  a  profession.  This 
was  confirmed  by  Electoral  vote  on  January  5, 
1682."  This  art  of  sculpturing  in  wood  has  al- 
ways been  a  source  of  inspiration  to  them  in  the 
production  of  the  Passion  Play  and  may  have  sug- 
gested it  to  them  in  the  beginning. 

As  Oberammergau  was  in  constant  communi- 
cation with  the  two  friendly  towns  of  Augsburg 
and  Nuremberg,  it  is  possible  that  the  Oberam- 
mergauers with  their  highly  developed  artistic  in- 
stincts were  encouraged  in  the  giving  of  their 
Passion  Play  by  seeing  the  plays  that  took  place 


12  OBERAMMERGAU 

in  those  two  art  centres  of  the  Middle  Ages. 
Mystery  plays  were  given  in  other  parts  of  the 
country  in  the  fourteenth  century  and  it  is  prob- 
able that  the  Oberammergauers  gave  their  Pas- 
sion Play  at  an  equally  early  date.  A  people  un- 
used to  presenting  the  Play  could  not  have  pre- 
pared as  elaborate  a  production  in  a  few  months 
as  did  the  villagers  of  Oberammergau  at  the  time 
they  made  their  vow.  They  gave  the  Passion 
Play  the  following  year,  1634,  and  after  that  every 
ten  years  up  to  1674.  In  1680  the  date  of  repre- 
sentation was  changed  to  the  even  decimal  year. 
It  has  been  given  at  the  end  of  every  decade 
since,  except  in  1770  and  in  18 10,  when  govern- 
ment edicts  were  sent  out  forbidding  the  perform- 
ance of  Mystery  or  Passion  plays.  Only  the  re- 
peated solicitations  of  the  villagers,  stimulated  by 
their  determination  to  be  true  to  the  vow  of  their 
forefathers,  won  the  desired  royal  permission  to 
continue  giving  their  Play. 

The  text  that  was  used  in  1664  is  still  preserved 
in  the  village,  and  the  examination  made  by 
scholars  convinces  them  that  it  was  taken  in  part 
from  a  text  used  in  Augsburg  in  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, and  from  a  text  by  Sebastian  Wild,  Meister- 
singer  in  Nuremberg,  in  the  middle  of  the  six- 
teenth. This  text  was  revised  and  additions  were 
made  at  least  three  times  before  the  eighteenth 
century  ;  early  in  the  nineteenth  it  was  again  re- 


ORIGINS  OF  THE  PLAY  13 

written  and  simplified  by  Fatiier  Ottmar  Weiss  of 
Ettal ;  and  about  thirty-five  years  ago  the  latest 
changes  were  made  by  the  village  priest,  the 
Geistliche  Rath  or  Spiritual  Adviser,  Joseph  Aloys 
Daisenberger,  a  remarkable  man  who  devoted  the 
latter  half  of  a  strong,  beautiful  life  to  Oberam- 
mergau. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  Passion  Play  of  the  present 
time  is  a  descendant  and  not  a  remnant,  as  it  is  so 
often  called,  of  the  Mystery  Plays  of  the  Middle 
Ages. 

The  Passion  text  is  Scriptural  and  therefore 
free  from  sectarian  coloring.  The  speeches  of  the 
Christus  are  taken  almost  word  for  word  from  the 
New  Testament  narrative.  The  music,  composed 
by  Rochus  Dedler,  an  Oberammergau  school- 
master, in  1820,  is  simple  and  beautiful.  One  of 
the  requirements  of  the  schoolmaster  at  Oberam- 
mergau is  that  he  shall  be  a  musician  and  also  be 
able  to  compose  music. 

The  costumes  are  made  of  the  finest  materials, 
to  withstand  the  exposure  to  sun  and  to  rain 
throughout  the  summer.  Many  of  the  stuffs  are 
imported  from  the  Orient.  Every  decade  all  the 
principal  characters  have  new  costumes,  the  old 
ones  being  used  for  rainy  days  or  for  the  "  peo- 
ple,"— that  is,  the  crowds  represented  in  the  Play. 
They  are  all  designed  and  made  by  the  Oberam- 
mergauers  themselves,  no  one  outside  the  village 


14  OBERAMMERGAU 

being  allowed  to  take  part  in  the  Play  or  to  assist 
in  any  of  their  preparations.  The  only  exception 
to  this  unwritten  law  was  in  the  erection  of  the 
Passion  theatre  for  1900,  when  they  employed  a 
Munich  firm  and  an  artist  from  Vienna.  The  plan 
of  the  theatre,  however,  as  well  as  the  arrangement 
of  the  stage,  originated  with  Beneficiat  Unhoch, 
a  native  of  Oberammergau,  early  in  the  nineteenth 
century. 

The  earliest  performances,  those  previous  to 
1634,  were  given  in  the  church  ;  but  as  the  peas- 
ants from  the  neighboring  villages  began  to  come 
to  the  Play,  it  was  given  in  the  churchyard.  In 
1830  this  place  had  become  too  small,  so  a  stage 
was  built  in  a  meadow  on  the  outskirts  of  the  vil- 
lage, the  site  of  the  present  theatre.  Formerly  the 
seats  as  well  as  the  stage  were  open  to  the  sky, 
and  the  spectators  would  sometimes  be  drenched 
by  showers  of  rain  and  at  others  burned  by  the 
hot  rays  of  the  sun.  The  present  auditorium, 
however,  is  covered,  and  is  admirably  arranged. 
Its  four  thousand  seats,  all  numbered,  are  on  one 
floor,  the  gradual  upward  slant  of  which  enables 
every  one  in  the  audience  to  see  the  stage.  The 
numerous  entrances  and  exits,  fourteen  in  all,  give 
easy  access  to  the  seats  and  enable  the  large 
audience  to  disperse  quickly. 


CHAPTER  III 

PRACTICE  PLAYS  AND  THE  PLAYERS 

DURING  the  interval  of  ten  years  between 
the  Passion  summers,  the  Oberammer- 
gauers  give  practice  plays  both  sacred 
and  historic,  with  occasional  humorous  sketches. 
In  1902,  during  a  short  visit  I  made  there,  they 
were  presenting  the  play  of  "  Esther."  Only  the 
villagers  were  present,  but  the  play  was  given 
with  the  same  dramatic  fervor  that  one  sees  in  the 
Passion  Play. 

In  1905  they  revived  an  old  play  called  the 
"  Kreuzesschule,"  which  they  had  not  given 
since  1875.  The  Kreuzesschule  is  a  reversal  of 
the  Passion  Play,  the  action  being  from  the  Old 
Testament,  the  life  of  David,  and  the  tableaux 
from  the  New.  This  was  given  several  times  in 
1905  before  large  audiences  in  the  Passion  theatre. 
It  was  perfectly  rendered,  Andreas  Lang,  the 
Rabbi  of  1900,  taking  the  part  of  King  David. 
It  required  a  sudden  readjustment  of  mind,  how- 
ever, to  see  Peter  Rendl,  the  beloved  Disciple 
John  of  1900,  appear  as  the  dashing  young  prince 

15 


i6  OBERAMMERGAU 

Absalom.  Anton  Lang  was  the  Christus  in  the 
tableaux,  but  took  no  part  in  the  action  of  the 
play. 

In  addition  to  the  practice  plays  the  Oberam- 
niergauers  have  a  Liederkranz  or  choral  society, 
which  meets  weekly ;  a  Turnverein  or  athletic 
club,  and  also  their  orchestral  rehearsals.  Thev 
are  faithful  in  celebrating  all  the  church  festivals, 
in  which  they  frequently  use  the  music  of  the 
Passion  Play,  as  on  Palm  Sunday,  when  they  sing 
"  Hail  to  thee,  hail  to  thee,  Son  of  David,"  a 
beautiful  choral  sung  at  Christ's  entry  into 
Jerusalem,  the  opening  scene  of  the  Passion  Play. 

This  constant  practice  develops  the  ability  of 
each  participant,  thus  making  it  possible  for  the 
committee  to  choose  the  best  talent  to  rep- 
resent the  different  characters  in  the  Passion 
Play. 

It  is  perhaps  needless  to  state  at  this  point  that 
the  majority  of  the  people  of  Oberammergau  are 
not  peasants.  On  the  contrary,  though  they  live 
simply  and  even  frugally  and  do  some  work  in  the 
fields,  they  are  a  refined,  cultivated  people,  sensi- 
tive to  all  that  is  beautiful  and  good  about  them  ; 
and  even  more,  in  being  able  to  express  beauty 
and  goodness  in  their  own  lives. 

One  cannot  be  in  their  presence  and  look  at 
their  strong,  fine  faces,  many  of  which  have  great 
beauty  of  feature  as  well  as  of  expression,  without 


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PRACTICE  PLAYS  AND  THE  PLAYERS    17 

being  conscious  of  the  nobility  of  their  character. 
It  is  all  unstudied  and  natural,  their  stately  bear- 
ing, their  gentle,  courteous  manner,  their  perfect 
composure  in  the  midst  of  excitement,  and  with  it 
all  their  true  simplicity. 

There  are  some  peasants  in  the  village,  but  the 
majority  of  the  people  are  artists.  Their  art  has 
always  been  inspired  by  a  deeply  religious  feeling 
and  by  their  beautiful  surroundings.  At  the  pres- 
ent time  more  than  two  hundred  of  the  villagers 
are  carvers,  or  sculptors  in  wood,  many  of  the 
women  even  being  proficient.  They  carve  for  the 
most  part  sacred  objects,  as  crucifixes,  figures  of 
the  apostles,  often  of  life  size,  and  scenes,  like  the 
Last  Supper.  There  are  a  few  who  carve  furni- 
ture and  small  objects. 

The  people  of  Oberammergau  have  such  ever- 
present  high  aims  and  so  many  interesting  and 
delightful  things  to  think  about  and  to  plan  and  to 
do  daily  that  the  questions  of  food  and  clothes — 
such  burning  questions  in  the  outside  world — have 
their  proper  place  in  the  little  village  and  are 
limited  to  the  needs  of  the  villagers.  Their  tem- 
perate living  gives  them  not  only  rather  spare 
figures,  but  also  the  full  use  of  their  faculties, 
whether  needed  for  felling  a  tree  on  the  side  of 
the  mountain  or  for  giving  expression  to  the 
highest  form  of  dramatic  art.  They  have  been  so 
loyal  to  their  ideals  and  the  traditions  of  their  an- 


i8  OBERAMMERGAU 

cestors  that  they  have  developed  distinct  types, — 
the  Christ  type,  the  Apostle  type. 

They  are  cordial  and  responsive  and  genuinely 
interested  in  the  people  who  come  to  their  village, 
but  at  the  same  time  they  have  a  fine  reserve. 
Though  they  receive  a  world-wide  advertising 
during  the  Passion  year,  they  do  not  care  for  no- 
toriety. During  the  summer  of  1900  Anton  Lang, 
the  Christus,  was  betrothed  to  Mathilde  Rutz, 
the  beautiful  daughter  of  Jakob  Rutz,  the  Choragus, 
but  the  engagement  was  not  made  known  until 
after  the  visitors  had  gone.  When  the  village  is 
thronged  with  tourists,  many  of  whom,  having 
made  no  previous  arrangement  for  rooms,  are 
unreasonable  in  their  demands,  one  then  has  an 
excellent  opportunity  of  comparing  the  dignity 
and  courtesy  of  the  native  of  Oberammergau  with 
the  bustling  importunity  of  his  guest.  Fortunately, 
with  all  his  other  rare  qualities,  the  Oberammer- 
gauer  has  a  keen  sense  of  humor. 

Many  of  the  young  men  of  the  place,  after 
they  have  been  through  the  village  school,  go  to 
Munich  and  sometimes  to  Stuttgart  and  other 
cities,  to  continue  their  studies,  but  they  always 
come  back  to  Oberammergau  to  live,  somewhat 
changed  by  their  contact  with  the  world  but  still 
loyal  to  the  village  and  its  traditions. 

In  1900  I  wrote  home  from  Oberammergau: 
"  The  people  here  have  a  fashion  of  saying  as  they 


PRACTICE  PLAYS  AND  THE  PLAYERS  19 

meet  any  one,  stranger  or  native,  in  the  streets, 
'Griiss  Gott^  'God  greets  thee.'  It  is  a  pretty 
custom  and  I  really  feel  injured  when  any  one 
omits  it. 

'■'  They  are  a  delightful  people  to  meet.  They 
are  so  simple  and  natural  and  dignified,  with  a 
rare  innate  courtesy  and  refinement. 

"  Yesterday  I  again  met  Jakob  Rutz,  the  leader 
of  the  chorus,  whose  gentle  courtesy  is  charming. 
As  he  talks  his  face  lights  up  with  a  rare  smile. 
We  also  saw  Thomas  Rendl,  who  is  ideal  as  St. 
Peter.  He  has  a  splendid  face  and  his  manner 
was  also  beautiful.  Johann  Zwink,  whose  mar- 
vellous rendering  of  the  part  of  Judas  is  almost 
beyond  description,  was  altogether  simple  and 
gentle  and  unassuming  in  his  reception  of  us. 

"  Johann  Zwink  is  a  painter,  Thomas  Rendl  a 
carver,  and  Jakob  Rutz  a  smith.  Such  perfect 
courtesy,  such  absolute  simplicity  of  manner  and 
such  absence  of  self-consciousness,  I  believe  you 
could  not  meet  elsewhere  in  the  world. 

"  In  talking  with  Anton  Lang  to-day  I  told 
him  that  the  words,  '  Ich  bin  dazu  geboren  tend 
dazu  bin  ich  in  die  Welt  gekommen '  (Christ's 
answer  to  Pilate,  *  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for 
this  came  I  into  the  world '),  kept  going  through 
my  mind.  Instantly  he  seemed  to  become  another 
being.  The  Christus  look  shone  through  his  eyes 
and  made  his  face  beautiful  as  he  replied  :     *  Yes, 


20  OBERAMMERGAU 

Christ  came  into  the  world  to  die  for  mankind. 
He  could  have  saved  His  life  but  He  wished  to 
give  it  to  save  the  world.'  " 

The  inspiring  influence  of  Father  Daisenberger, 
who  died  in  1883,  is  still  felt  in  the  village.  He 
was  born  in  Oberau,  six  miles  from  the  Ammer 
Valley,  was  educated  at  Ettal  under  the  learned 
priest,  Ottmar  Weiss,  and  was  doubtless  well 
acquainted  with  Oberammergau  and  the  Passion 
Play.  When  the  people  united  in  asking  him 
to  become  their  priest,  in  1845,  he  accepted.  A 
sentence  from  a  letter  he  wrote  at  that  time  shows 
the  esteem  he  had  for  the  people  of  Oberammer- 
gau :  "  The  native  charm  of  the  Ammerthal,  the 
loveliness  of  the  village,  the  church,  the  parson- 
age, but  still  more  the  enlightenment  of  the  in- 
habitants, their  susceptibility  to  all  that  is  noble 
and  good  ...  all  had  an  extraordinary  at- 
traction for  me."  He  was  a  man  of  scholarly 
mind  and  high  ideals  and  for  thirty-eight  years 
was  the  guiding  spirit  of  the  community,  making 
their  interests  his  interests  and  ever  leading  them 
on  to  higher  achievement. 

Father  Daisenberger  directed  the  Passion  Play 
and  wrote  many  sacred  and  historic  plays,  among 
them  "  The  Founding  of  the  Monastery  of  Ettal," 
which  the  villagers  give  as  practice  plays.  In 
1875  at  the  request  of  King  Ludwig  II,  he  re- 
wrote all  the  speeches   of   the   Prologus  as  well 


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PRACTICE  PLAYS  AND  THE  PLAYERS  21 

as  much  of  the  text  of  the  Play.  He  ennobled 
the  part  of  the  Christus  by  taking  his  speeches 
as  far  as  possible  verbatim  from  the  New  Testa- 
ment narrative. 

The  lines  of  Father  Daisenberger's  last  poem, 
in  their  simple  German,  well  express  the  sincerity 
of  spirit  of  this  beloved  priest :  — 

"  Mein  Gott,  Dir  hab  ich  mich  ergeben, 
Was  Du  willst,  das  gescheh'  an  mir  ! 
Willst  Du,  ich  soil  noch  langer  leben 
In  diesen  Erdenthale  hier, 
Mir  ist  es  recht,  ich  danke  Dir, 

"  Doch  nimmst  Du  dieses  ird'sche  Leben 
Schon  bald,  recht  bald  zuriick  von  mir, 
Mit  Freuden  sei  es  hingegeben, 
Du  gibst  ein  bess'res  mir  dafiir, 
Mir  ist  es  recht,  ich  danke  Dir." 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  CHARGE  OF  COMMERCIALISM 

A  QUOTATION  from  a  little  book  on  the 
Passion  Play,  written  by  Archdeacon  Far- 
rar  after  the  representations  of  1890,  is 
interesting,  as  it  gives  his  own  view  of  the  Ober- 
ammergauers  as  well  as  a  remarkable  sermon :  — 
"The  remarks  of  Pastor  Daisenberger,  in  a 
sermon  preached  on  Whit  Sunday,  1870,  in  the 
church  at  Oberammergau,  are  so  complete  a  vindi- 
cation of  the  play  from  all  suggestions  of  sordid 
motives,  and  so  strong  a  statement  of  its  sacred 
character,  that  I  cannot  do  better  than  reproduce 
them.  He  said,  w^ith  touching  dignity  and  sin- 
cerity :  '  Dear  friends,  you  are  called  upon  this 
year  to  fulfil  a  great  and  holy  vow  ;  you  will,  as  it 
were,  in  some  measure  take  part  in  the  Apostolic 
office.  From  the  day  of  Pentecost  the  Apostles 
went  into  all  lands  to  preach  Jesus  the  Crucified — 
His  doctrines  and  His  deeds.  His  life  and  His 
death.  His  resurrection  and  His  glorification — to 
show  to  men  how  ancient  prophecies,  how  the 
types  of  the  Old  Testament,  were  fulfilled  in  Him. 
We  are  not  now  to  go  forth  into  the  world  to  make 

22 


THE  CHARGE  OF  COMMERCIALISM     23 

known  the  Crucified,  but  tliousands  during  this 
year  will  come  to  us,  and  ours  will  be  the  privilege 
to  represent  before  them  what  the  Apostles 
preached.  If  we  work  together  with  holy  zeal 
worthily  to  represent  these  mysteries,  then  we 
may  hope  that,  with  God's  grace,  great  blessings 
may  ensue.  Many  pious  Christians,  touched  by 
the  representation  of  their  Saviour's  death,  will 
return  home  edified  and  strengthened  in  their 
faith  and  love,  and  with  renewed  resolutions  to 
continue  His  faithful  disciples.  Many  of  the  luke- 
warm and  frivolous,  unable  to  throw  ofif  the  solemn 
impressions  they  have  received,  will  in  future 
show  that  the  seeds  of  a  more  Christian  life  were 
sown  here.  And  it  may  be  that  the  sight  of  the 
Redeemer's  great  love  for  mankind,  and  of  His 
bitter  sufferings  for  their  sins,  may  draw  tears  of 
repentance  from  the  eyes  of  sinners,  and  these 
tears,  aided  by  God's  good  spirit,  may  be  the  be- 
ginning of  a  sincere  conversion  and  this  gazing 
on  the  Passion  may  be  the  way  by  which  the 
Good  Shepherd  seeks  and  finds  His  lost  sheep. 
But,  dear  friends,  we  can  only  hope  for  God's 
blessing  if  we  undertake  our  work  wdth  pure 
motives  and  holy  zeal,  and  not  with  selfish  and 
vainglorious  motives.  If  with  the  latter,  God  will 
look  down  upon  us  and  upon  our  work  with 
displeasure,  we  shall  be  misusing  and  dishonor- 
ing the   most   sacred   things,    we   shall   reap   to 


24  OBERAMMERGAU 

ourselves,  instead  of  honor,  blame ;  instead  of  gain, 
most  bitter  loss. 

"  '  It  is  not  our  aim  to  shine  in  the  art  of  acting, 
that  would  be  presumptuous  and  ridiculous  in 
simple  country  people ;  but  it  must  be  the 
earnest  desire  of  each  one  to  try  and  represent 
worthily  this  most  holy  mystery.  Each  one  who 
takes  the  least  part  in  this  work  is  a  necessary 
link  in  the  great  chain  ;  let  him  therefore  endeavor 
to  fulfil  his  task  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  thus 
contribute  to  the  success  of  the  whole.' 

"Then,  after  addressing  each  class  of  perform- 
ers upon  their  own  peculiar  work,  the  preacher 
adds  :  '  But  as  the  Apostles  taught  men  not  only 
by  word,  but  also  by  their  holy  conversation,  so 
must  we  endeavor,  if  our  work  is  to  be  blessed  to 
the  hearts  of  men,  to  show,  by  our  Christlike 
moral  conduct,  not  merely  before  the  public,  but 
in  our  private  life,  the  salutary  effect  produced  on 
our  souls  by  the  consideration  of  the  atoning  death 
of  our  Lord.  Let  nothing  go  on  either  within  or 
without  the  theatre,  in  the  streets,  in  your  houses, 
or  in  the  church,  which  can  give  occasion  for 
offence.  The  eyes  of  many  strangers  will  be  fixed, 
not  only  on  our  Play,  but  on  ourselves.  Let  us 
so  live  that  we  may  have  nothing  to  fear  from  the 
all-searching  eye  of  God,  and  the  scrutinizing 
gaze  of  our  fellow-men.  Let  us  from  this  time 
show  by  increased  zeal  for  our  holy  religion,  by 


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THE  CHARGE  OF  COMMERCIALISM     25 

our  deep  reverence  for  holy  things,  by  our  greater 
love  for  our  Redeemer,  by  our  pure  morals,  by 
our  avoidance  of  sin,  and  our  renewal  of  virtues, 
that  the  representation  of  the  Passion  is  not  only 
of  spiritual  benefit  to  others,  but  to  ourselves  as 
well.  Let  us  pray  fervently  that  that  Spirit  may 
assist  us  in  the  task  we  have  undertaken.  May 
He  ever  be  with  us  and  in  us.     Amen.'  " 

Archdeacon  Farrar  adds  :  "  The  comparison  of 
the  sweet,  pure,  happy,  and  deeply  religious  popu- 
lation of  this  Bavarian  village,  in  which  I  did  not 
hear  one  evil  word,  or  see  one  unseemly  sight,  or 
find  the  slightest  trace  of  intemperance,  with  the 
drunken  squalor  and  blasphemy  and  vice  of  our 
London  slums,  is  an  injustice  so  gross  as  to  call  for 
the  strongest  reprobation.  Nor  less  calumnious 
is  the  frequently  repeated  charge  of  greed.  On 
the  contrary,  the  people  have  shown  the  most 
beautiful  and  disinterested  magnanimity.  Not  to 
speak  of  other  proposals,  in  1872  they  refused  no 
less  than  60,000  florins,  offered  them  if  they  would 
perform  the  Play  in  Vienna.  The  actors  and  the 
people  have  repeatedly  risen  superior  to  the 
temptations  which  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil  seem  determined  to  throw  in  their  way. 
Three  years  ago  3,000  florins  was  offered  them  by 
an  Englishman  merely  for  the  music  of  the  Play, 
and  they  at  once  declined  the  offer." 

What  Archdeacon  Farrar  wrote  in  1890  is  just 


26  OBERAMMERGAU 

as  true  at  the  present  day.  Offers  are  constantly 
made  to  the  villagers,  mdividually  and  as  a  com- 
pany, but  money  does  not  tempt  them.  When 
Joseph  Mayr  was  asked  by  an  American  theat- 
rical manager  if  he  would  go  with  the  other  per- 
formers to  America  to  give  the  Passion  Play,  he 
replied :  "  Yes,  we  will  go,  if  you  will  take  the 
Kofel.  We  can  never  give  the  Passion  Play  ex- 
cept in  the  shadow  of  the  Kofel."  Anton  Lang 
has   been   repeatedly   approached    by  managers. 

They  throw  open  their  homes,  such  clean, 
simple,  cheerful  homes,  where  they  do  all  in  their 
power  to  make  you  comfortable.  They  incur  con- 
siderable expense  for  the  extra  supplies,  such  as 
bedding  and  furniture,  for  which  the  returns  of 
the  summer  often  have  not  repaid  them.  Also 
during  the  Passion  summer  they  are  obliged  to 
procure  most  of  their  provisions  from  Munich  and 
other  places,  at  high  prices.  In  former  years  the 
tourist  agencies  charged  high  rates  for  board  and 
lodging  in  Oberammergau  and  paid  the  villagers 
only  half  and  sometimes  less  than  half  the  amount 
received.  The  people  who  have  exploited  the 
Play  have  doubtless  made  enormous  profits,  but 
those  who  live  in  Oberammergau  and  give  the 
Play  have  had  only  small  returns. 

This  year  the  Passion  Play  Committee  have 
taken  the  matter  into  their  own  hands  and  are 
charging    reasonable    prices  on   a   regular   scale 


THE  CHARGE  OF  COMMERCIALISM     27 

according    to    the    class    of    accommodation    fur- 
nished.' 

During  six  months  or  more  the  villagers  are 
obliged  to  give  up  all  their  regular  occupations. 
Their  business  connections  are  interrupted  and 
sometimes  broken  altogether.  The  financial  re- 
turns of  the  summer  often  do  not  compensate 
them  for  what  they  lose.  The  salaries  of  the 
players  are  small,  the  highest  in  1900  being  fifteen 
hundred  marks,  about  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  dollars,  for  the  whole  season.  The  money 
made  by  the  sale  of  tickets  is  devoted  to  com- 
munal purposes,  the  village  being  greatly  im- 
proved from  decade  to  decade,  and  for  the  pay- 
ment of  all  debts  incurred  in  preparing  for  the 
production  of  the  Play. 

^  For  tickets  and  accommodation  write   in   English  or  German  to 
Wohnungsbureau,  Oberammergau,  Germany. 


CHAPTER  V 

CHOICE  OF  CHARACTERS 

THERE  are  between  fourteen  and  fifteen 
hundred  people  in  the  Uttle  community 
closely  knit  together  by  their  one  ideal, 
which  influences  even  the  choice  of  their  govern- 
ing body.  They  have  a  Biirgermeister — Mayor — 
and  a  Council  of  Twelve,  who  are  elected  every 
five  years.  The  present  Mayor  is  Sebastian 
Bauer,  who  represented  Pilate  in  1900  and  will 
have  the  same  part  again  this  year. 

Guido  Lang,  himself  an  Oberammergauer,  in  his 
interesting  "  Guide  to  Oberammergau  and  its  Pas- 
sion Play,  1900,"  gives  an  excellent  account  of 
the  duties  of  the  Passion  Play  Committee : 
"This  Committee  is  formed  of  the  members  of  the 
Community  Council,  the  Parish  Priest,  and  six 
additional  citizens,  who  are  chosen,  either  because 
they  have  rendered  great  service  in  previous 
plays,  or  on  account  of  their  exceptional  practical 
knowledge. 

"  As  the  Plays  are  an  undertaking  by  the  com- 
munity, the  Burgomaster  is  always  President  of 
the  Committee.  The  Committee  has  charge  of  all 
preparations  for  the   Play,   such  as   negotiations 

28 


The  Prologus,  1900 

Joseph  Mayr,  who  represented  the  Christus  in  1870-71 ,  1880, 
and  1890.    Died  in  1903. 


CHOICE  OF  CHARACTERS  29 

with  the  government,  arranging  the  financial 
matters,  the  erection  of  the  necessary  buildings, 
and  most  important,  the  selection  of  the  various 
representatives  of  the  different  characters.  The 
latter  is  a  very  dif^cult  and  responsible  task,  for 
frequently  the  Committee  is  obliged,  on  account 
of  the  advanced  age  of  some  of  the  performers,  to 
take  from  them  roles  which  they  have  filled  ac- 
ceptably and  skilfully  for  years.  The  decisions 
are  accepted  graciously,  although  the  pride  of  a 
lifetime  is  taken  from  them.  At  the  same  time 
important  characters  and  parts  must  be  entrusted 
to  fresh  talent,  whose  capabilities  remain  to  be 
proven.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  exercise  the 
greatest  care  in  the  selection,  and  profound 
secrecy  is  laid  upon  the  members  of  the  Com- 
mittee as  to  their  consultations.  Each  member 
delivers  to  the  Committee  a  written  and  sealed 
proposal  for  the  appointments  to  be  filled.  After 
an  elaborate  discussion  of  the  various  propositions 
made,  a  secret  ballot  is  taken.  This  constitutes 
the  preliminary  election.  After  an  interval  of  a 
few  days,  a  date  for  the  final  election  is  fixed. 
On  that  day  the  members  of  the  Committee  attend 
a  special  divine  service  and  then  assemble  in  the 
Council  House  for  the  decisive  election.  Once 
again  the  result  of  the  preliminary  election  is 
briefly  discussed,  after  which  the  final  vote  is 
given. 


30  OBERAMMERGAU 

"  With  feverish  interest  the  entire  population 
await  the  announcement  of  the  results  of  the  elec- 
tion, which  brings  to  some  unexpected  honor  ;  to 
others,  bitter  disappointment.  This  election  re- 
quires in  all  about  two  weeks  of  hard,  unremitting 
work,  and  all  breathe  more  freely  after  it  is  over. 

"  Now  the  work  commences  in  earnest ;  almost 
every  evening  practice  goes  on.  First  single 
characters,  then  groups,  then  whole  scenes  are 
taken,  while  at  the  same  time  the  singers  and 
musicians  are  studying  their  parts." 

Ludwig  Lang,  the  head  of  the  carving  school, 
is  director  of  the  Passion  Play  this  year.  In  1900 
he  was  the  assistant-director  of  the  Play  and  also 
had  the  arrangement  of  all  the  tableaux  as  well 
as  the  stage-management.  Ever}^  one  who  saw 
the  tableaux  in  1900  will  remember  how  beau- 
tiful they  were.  They  were  perfect  in  composi- 
tion and  coloring.  In  some  of  them  there  were 
from  three  to  four  hundred  people,  half  of  whom 
were  children  ;  yet  the  arrangement  was  always 
natural  and  graceful,  though  the  figures  were  so 
motionless  they  might  have  been  carved  from 
stone.  Ludwig  Lang,  who  has  evidently  made 
a  thorough  study  of  old  paintings  and  illuminated 
Bibles,  designs  all  the  costumes,  which  are  made 
under  the  supervision  of  his  sister,  Josefa  Lang. 
These  costumes,  from  the  simple  garments  worn 
by  Christ  and  his  disciples  to  the  rich  robes  of 


CHOICE  OF  CHARACTERS  31 

the  High  Priests  and  Pharisees,  are  worlcs  of  art 
in  themselves. 

The  present  director  of  the  Passion  music  is 
Ludwig  Wittmann,  the  schoolmaster. 

In  the  summer  of  1900  Joseph  Mayr,  the  Chris- 
tus  of  1870,  '71,  '80,  and  '90,  recited  the  speeches 
of  the  Prologus  with  such  splendid  dignity  that 
it  must  have  been  difficult  for  the  committee  to 
select  any  one  to  take  his  place,  but  doubtless  with 
their  excellent  judgment  they  have  chosen  in 
Anton  Lechner  one  who  will  fill  the  office  worthily. 
Jakob  Rutz,  the  Choragus  of  1890  and  1900,  will 
lead  the  Chorus  again  this  year.  His  effective  and 
noble  rendering  of  the  solos,  many  of  which  are 
beautiful,  gave  great  pleasure  to  those  who  heard 
him  in  1900. 

The  strength,  dignity,  and  loveliness  of  Anton 
Lang's  representation  of  the  Christus  ten  years 
ago  made  his  election  for  the  same  part  this  year 
a  certainty.  In  1900  he  was  only  twenty-five  years 
old.  As  his  life  since  has  been  rich  in  experience, 
his  Christus  of  19 10  may  surpass  even  the  Am- 
mergau  traditions.  At  the  end  of  the  last  Pas- 
sion summer  Anton  Lang,  Andreas  Lang,  and 
Gregor  Breitsamter  went  to  Rome  and  had  a 
private  audience  with  the  Pope.  The  following 
year  Anton  Lang  made  visits  in  England.  I  hap- 
pened to  be  in  England  myself  that  summer,  and 
wrote  home  one  day  from  Liverpool : 


32  OBERAMMERGAU 

"To-day   I   saw  M R ,  the  fiancee  of 

Anton  Lang.  When  I  inquired  for  the  latter,  she 
told  me  he  had  been  in  York  on  a  visit.  In  an- 
swer to  further  inquiries  I  learned  that  while  he 
was  there  he  dined  with  the  Archbishop  of  York, 
who  was  most  kind  to  him.  One  day,  when  he 
and  the  Archbishop  were  coming  out  of  York 
Minster,  an  old  woman  came  and  knelt  at  Anton 
Lang's  feet  and  kissed  his  hand,  saying,  '  At  last 
I  have  seen  the  Christ' 

"  The  Bishop  of  Durham  also  paid  him  much 
attention.  In  London  he  was  taken  to  the  House 
of  Lords,  and  at  the  end  of  the  session  the  mem- 
bers came  down  and  crowded  round  him. 

"  *  I  watched  closely,'  said  M R , '  to  see 

if  he  was  being  spoiled.  But  I  think  he  cannot  be 
spoiled.'     I  too  believe  that  he  cannot  be  spoiled." 

In  1902  they  were  married.  (Fraulein  Rutz  had 
been  in  1900  that  Protecting  Spirit  of  the  Chorus, 
who  sang  so  charmingly  the  Lament  of  the  Bride 
of  the  Canticles.)  They  have  three  children,  two 
boys  and  a  girl,  who  will,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
appear  in  the  Play.  Some  months  ago  the  boys 
were  hoping  to  be  good  enough  to  be  chosen  to 
cry  "  Hosanna." 

In  the  minds  of  the  Oberammergauers,  Mary 
possesses  eternal  youth  ;  consequently  a  young 
unmarried  woman  is  always  chosen  for  the  part. 
Anna   Plunger,   the  beautiful  Mary  of  1900,   was 


Anna,  a  Village  Child,  singing  "  Heil  dir" 


Anton  Lang  and  his  Family 


CHOICE  OF  CHARACTERS  33 

only  nineteen  years  old.  This  year  Ottilie  Zwink, 
who  has  shown  much  talent  in  the  practice  plays, 
will  be  the  Mary.  Her  photograph  shows  a  lovely, 
sensitive  face.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Johann 
Zwink,  who  this  year  will  represent  Judas  for  the 
third  Passion  season.  His  masterly  interpretation 
of  the  character  of  Judas  is  an  expression  of  dra- 
matic art  never  to  be  forgotten. 

Thomas  Rendl,  whose  splendid  personation 
of  the  part  of  Peter  in  1900  moved  every  one 
who  witnessed  it,  will  this  year  appear  as  the 
venerable  Simon  of  Bethany.  In  i860  and  1870 
he  was  Joseph  of  Arimathea  and  in  1880  and  1890 
the  Pilate.  Photographs  taken  at  those  periods 
show  his  noble  face  and  bearing,  and  accounts 
of  the  time  speak  of  the  distinction  with  which  he 
filled  those  roles.  Peter  Rendl,  his  son,  has  been 
chosen  this  year  for  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  his 
father's  former  r61e.  His  sympathetic  rendering 
of  the  character  of  John  in  1890  and  1900  won 
much  admiration.  John  will  be  represented  this 
year  by  Alfred  Bierling.  The  Caiaphas  of  19 10 
will  be  Gregor  Breitsamter,  the  vigorous  and 
active  priest  Nathanael  of  the  previous  Passion 
summer. 

Sebastian  Lang,  whose  splendid  presence  and 
voice  so  well  fitted  him  for  the  vehement  and 
stirring  Caiaphas  of  1900,  will  this  summer  repre- 
sent Annas.     Andreas  Lang,  the  strong  Rabbi  of 


34  OBERAMMERGAU 

1900,  and  one  of  the  most  gifted  men  in  Ober- 
ammergau,  will  be  the  Peter  of  this  year.  Wil- 
helm  Rutz  has,  instead  of  his  former  part  of  Nico- 
demus,  the  character  of  the  Rabbi,  which  he  will 
undoubtedly  fill  with  ability. 

Maria  Mayr  has  been  chosen  as  Mary  Mag- 
dalen, and  Victoria  Bauer  as  Martha.  Hans  Mayr, 
the  son  of  Josef  Mayr,  will  be  the  Herod  of  19 10. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  PRODUCTION 

THE  seven  months  of  rehearsals,  with  all 
the  elaborate  and  careful  preparations, 
that  the  Play  may  be  perfect  down  to  the 
least  detail,  make  it  a  tremendous  undertaking. 
When  added  to  this  there  is  the  care  of  perhaps 
three  hundred  thousand  visitors,  there  is  a  strain 
on  the  nerves  and  strength  of  the  villagers 
which  only  their  wonderful  poise  and  composure 
enable  them  to  endure.  As  the  Passion  Play, 
however,  is  the  supreme  object  of  their  lives,  they 
are  willing  to  make  any  sacrifice  for  it.  This 
devotion  is  so  strong  that  as  the  end  of  each 
decade  draws  near,  the  few  who  have  made  their 
homes  in  distant  lands  cannot  resist  the  longing 
which  draws  them  back  to  Oberammergau  to 
take  some  part  in  the  Play,  if  it  be  only  to  shout 
"  Hosanna  "  with  the  crowd. 

Since  the  presentation  of  the  Passion  Play  is  a 
religious  observance,  Sundays  and  Church  festi- 
vals are  chosen  for  the  representations.  The 
promise  is  made  that  if  at  any  time  there  are  more 

35 


36  OBERAMMERGAU 

visitors  than  the  theatre  will  accommodate,  the 
Play  will  be  repeated  the  following  day.  Many 
times  during  the  summer  of  1900  the  performers 
were  obliged  to  give  the  Play  three  days  in  suc- 
cession, and  they  gave  the  third  rendering  with 
the  same  reverence  as  the  first. 

The  day  before  each  performance,  the  visitors 
begin  to  come  into  the  Valley  and  the  streets  of 
the  little  village  are  soon  full  of  travellers  from 
many  parts  of  the  earth.  They  pour  in  by  rail 
and  by  carriage  and  on  foot  till  the  villagers 
know  that  there  will  be  too  many  for  even  the 
after-performance.  As  we  wander  through  the 
irregular  streets  we  see  amid  the  throngs  of 
visitors  stately  men  with  long  hair  and  hear,  as 
they  go  by,  excited  whispers :  "  There  is 
Caiaphas."  "  Is  that  John  who  just  passed  us?" 
'•  Do  you  think  the  one  coming  is  the  Christus  ?  " 
•'  See  that  beautiful  boy  !  I  wonder  if  he  takes 
part  in  the  Play?"  As  no  wigs  or  make-ups 
of  any  kind  are  allowed  in  the  Passion  Play,  a 
few  months  before  it  is  given  the  men  and  the 
boys  of  the  village  allow  their  hair  to  grow.  (The 
day  after  the  last  performance  of  the  summer 
there  is  a  general  village  hair-cutting.  The  bar- 
ber on  this  occasion  literally  wades  almost  knee- 
deep  in  wavy  locks  !) 

At    seven    o'clock    the    evening    before    each 
performance,  the  village  band  marches  through 


'A 

tq 

H 

\A 

S5 

& 
ES3 

M 
1-1 
M 

H 

o 


W 
o 


<5 


THE  PRODUCTION  37 

the  streets  playing  stirring  music.  At  five-thirty 
the  next  morning  the  cannon  sounds,  and  at 
six  the  church  is  filled  with  visitors  and  villagers 
for  the  celebration  of  high  mass.  At  half-past 
seven  another  cannon-boom  announces  the  open- 
ing of  the  doors  of  the  Passion  theatre.  The 
streets  are  immediately  filled  with  hurrying,  excited 
people.  As  there  is  no  occasion  for  haste,  we 
will  let  the  crowd  slip  by  while  we  enjoy  the  fresh, 
pure  morning  air.  The  bright  sunshine,  the 
blue  sky,  the  green  meadows,  and  the  clear 
rugged  outlines  of  the  mountains  are  a  fitting 
setting  for  the  scenes  we  are  about  to  witness. 

In  the  few  moments  before  the  play  begins  we 
have  an  opportunity  to  examine  the  stage.  We 
have  before  us  the  broad  proscenium,  which  has 
no  roof,  thus  giving  it  a  background  of  sky  and 
mountain.  At  the  rear  of  the  proscenium  in  the 
centre  is  a  small  covered  stage  with  curtains  on 
which  are  painted  Michel  Angelo's  Moses,  and 
the  prophets  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah.  This  stage  is 
used  for  the  tableaux  and  some  of  the  small  though 
important  scenes.  Two  arches,  through  which  are 
seen  streets  of  Jerusalem  winding  away  in  the 
distance,  join  this  central  stage.  On  the  right  is 
the  Palace  of  Annas,  on  the  left  the  Palace  of 
Pilate.  At  each  side  of  the  proscenium  is  a 
covered  colonnade  through  which  the  Chorus  of 
Schutzgeister,    or    Protecting   Spirits,  comes  out. 


38  OBERAMMERGAU 

The  office  of  the  Chorus  is  similar  to  that  of  the 
Greek  Chorus,  to  explain  and  to  comment  on  the 
scenes  that  are  about  to  take  place. 

The  Passion  Play,  which  begins  with  the 
Triumphal  Entry  of  Christ  into  Jerusalem  and 
ends  with  the  Resurrection  and  Ascension,  has 
seventeen  acts,  each  one  of  which  is  preceded  by 
one  or  two  tableaux,  representing  scenes  from  the 
Old  Testament,  foreshadowing  the  action  from 
the  Gospel  narrative  which  follows.  Father  Dai- 
senberger  explains  the  relation  of  the  tableaux  to 
the  action  of  the  Play,  in  a  little  book  published 
at  Oberammergau,  as  follows  :  "  Our  object  is  to 
represent  the  story  of  Christ's  Passion,  not  by  a 
mere  statement  of  facts,  but  in  its  connection  with 
the  types  and  figures  and  prophecies  of  the  Old 
Testament.  By  this  manner  of  treatment  an  ad- 
ditional strong  light  will  be  cast  upon  the  sacred 
narrative ;  and  the  thoughtful  spectator  will  be 
able  to  realize  the  grand  truth  that  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  made  man  for  our  salvation,  is 
the  central  figure  of  the  inspired  volumes."  The 
relation  of  these  types  or  tableaux  to  the  Play  is 
explained  by  the  Chorus  of  Protecting  Spirits  and 
also  by  the  Prologus,  who  recites  melodramatic 
verses  embodying  the  thought  given  in  song  by 
the  Chorus. 


THE  PRODUCTION 

NAMES    OF    THE    PLAYERS 


39 


igio 

Christus Anton  Lang  .    . 

Mary Ottilie  Zwink     . 

Peter Andreas  Lang  . 

John Albrecht  Bierling 

Judas Johann  Zwink  . 

Caiaphas Gregor  Breitsainte 

Annas Sebastian  Lang 

Pilate Sebastian  Bauer 

Nathanael Rupert  Breitsamter 

Rabbi Wilhelin  Rutz    . 

Joseph  of  Arimathea  ,  Peter  Rendl  .  . 
Nicodemus  .....  Wilkelin  Lang  . 
Simon  of  Bethany  .  .  Thomas  Rendl  . 
Mary  Magdalen  .    .    .  Maria  Mayr   .  . 

Martha Victoria  Bauer  . 

Lazarus Richard  Lang    . 

Herod Hans  Mayr    .    . 

Nine  Remaining  Disciples : 

James Mathias  Dedler  . 

Matthew Josef  Albrecht    . 

Philip Andreas  Braun  . 

Bartholomew  .    .    .  Balthasar  Keller 

Thomas Anton  Mayr   ,   . 

Andrew Alois  Ceroid  .    . 

James,  tlie  Less  .    .  Benedict  Klucker 

Thaddeus Josef  Kurz  .    .    . 

Simon       Martin  Hohenleitne 

Simon  of  Cyrene  .  .  Andreas  Kratz  . 
Roman  Captain  .    .    .  Anton  Hauser 

Director  of  the  Play   .  Ludwig  Lang    . 
Ass't.  Director  of  Play  JLans  Mayr    . 
Leader  of  Chorus   .    .  Jakob  Rutz    .    . 

Prologus Anton  Lechner  . 

Business  Manager  .    .  Franz  Rutz    .    . 


/goo 

Anton  Lang, 
.  Anna  Plunger. 

Thomas  Rendl. 
.  Peter  Rendl. 

Johann  Zwink. 

Sebastian  Lang. 

Martin  Oppenrieder. 

Sebastian  Bauer. 

Gregor  Breitsamter. 

Andreas  Lang. 
.  Andreas  Braun. 

Wilhehn  Rutz. 

Franz  Steinbacher, 
.  Bertha  Wolf. 

Mai'ia  Schzvalb. 

Otto  Lang. 

Rochus  Lang. 

Mathias  Dedler, 

Josef  Albrecht. 

Tobias  Zwink. 

Josef  Rutz. 
,  Anton  Mayr, 

Alois  Ceroid. 

Benedict  Klucker. 
.  Josef  Kurz. 

Martin  Hohenleitner. 

Jakob  Bierling. 
.  Anton  Bartl. 

.  Johann  Lang. 
,  Ludivig  Lang. 

Jakob  Rutz. 

Josef  Mayr. 

Franz  Rutz. 


There  are  in  all  five  hundred  and  seventy-four 
performers,  seventy-six  musicians,  and  fifty  others 
connected  with  the  Play,  about  seven  hundred  in 
all. 


I 


40  OBERAMMERGAU 

DAYS    OF    THE    REPRESEx\TATIONS 

May  1 1,  i6,  22,  29. 

June  5,  12,  19,  24,  26,  29. 

July  3,  10,  17,  20,  24,  27,  31. 

August  3,  7,  10,  14,  17,  21,  24,  28,  31. 

September  4,  8,  11,  18,  25. 

Certain  regulations  for  1900  will  probably  be 
little  changed  in  1910.     The  principal  ones  are  : 

1.  To  wear  only  the  lowest  possible  head 
coverings  or  none  at  all. 

2.  Demonstrations  of  any  kind  are  prohibited, 
as  applause  and  exclamations  mar  the  solemnity 
of  the  performance. 

3.  No  one  is  permitted  to  stand  during  the 
scenes,  and  no  one  will  be  allowed  to  leave  the 
auditorium  from  the  commencement  of  the  scene 
of  the  crucifixion  until  the  end  of  the  Play. 

4.  No  cameras  of  any  description  will  be  ad- 
mitted ;  any  infraction  of  this  rule  will  bring 
prosecution. 

5.  In  the  theatre  itself  and  for  a  distance  of 
twenty  metres  (about  sixty-five  feet)  from  the 
theatre,  smoking  is  strictly  prohibited. 

Opera  glasses  will  be  found  of  great  service. 

(Coming  in  late,  objectionable  anywhere,  is  at 
the  Passion  Play  almost  a  sacrilege,  in  view  of  the 
supreme  solemnity  of  what  it  interrupts,  both  on 
the  stage  and  in  the  minds  of  devout  spectators.) 


HuL^'K  ui-    Ankin   Lani 


Passion  Theatre,  looking  from  Stage 

The  paintings  on  the  wall  in  the  rear,  over  the  arch,  show,  at  left,  the 
Passion  I'lay  in  1(J:M  ;  at  right,  the  old  Monastery  of  Ettal,   burned 


in  1744. 


THE  PASSION  PLAY 


PRELUDE 


Chorus  of  Protecting  Spirits.     The 
Choragus  intones. 

Tableau  i.     Adam  and  Eve  driven  from  Para- 
dise.    Symbolic  of  the  fall  of  man. 

Prologus 

Greetings  to  you  all  who  have  come  from  far 
and  near  to  witness  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
Christ.  All  here  are  united  in  love,  in  memory  of 
the  One  who  for  us  suffered  bitterest  death.  Our 
tenderest  thoughts  and  love  turn  to  Him.  The 
hour  for  the  fulfilment  of  our  holy  vow  has  now 
come  ;  join  your  prayers  with  ours  we  beseech 
you. 

Tableau  2.     The  adoration  of  the  cross.     Sym- 
bolic of  the  redemption  of  man. 

FIRST  DIVISION 
From   Christ's  entry  into  Jerusalem  to  the  arrest  in  the 
Garden  of  Gethsemane. 

41 


42  OBERAMMERGAU 

Representation  I 

Action.  Jesus  enters  Jerusalem  amid  the  loud 
rejoicings  of  the  people,  drives  the  buyers  and 
sellers  from  the.Temple,  goes  again  to  Bethany. 

Scene  i.     Jesus  enters  Jerusalem. 

Scene  2.  Jesus  drives  the  merchants  from  the 
Temple  and  answers  the  questions  of  the 
Pharisees. 

Scene  3.  The  Priest  Nathanael  incites  the  people 
against  Jesus. 

Scene  4.  Nathanael  promises  revenge  to  the 
merchants. 

At  eight  o'clock  the  cannon  sounds,  and  imme- 
diately soft,  beautiful  strains  come  from  the  orches- 
tra. The  curtain  divides,  part  rises  and  part 
sinks  beneath  the  stage,  disclosing  another  curtain 
of  rich  hues.  If  we  could  look  beyond  this  drapery 
we  should  see  all  the  performers,  about  six  hun- 
dred, saying  the  Lord's  Prayer  together. 

Before  the  opening  music  ceases  the  Protecting 
Spirits,  thirty-four  in  number,  walk  slowly  and 
with  impressive  dignity  from  the  colonnades  to 
the  stage.  They  form  a  beautiful  line  of  color  as 
they  stand  there,  both  men  and  women  wearing 
golden  crowns  and  clad  in  white  tunics  and  flow- 
ing mantles  of  different  hues.  The  Prologus  in 
a  white  robe  richly  embroidered  in  gold  stands  in 
the    centre.     Josef   Mayr,  the   Prologus   of   1900, 


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THE  PRODUCTION  43 

with  his  tall,  majestic  figure  and  stately  mode  of 
utterance  made  the  office  most  impressive.  The 
Choragus  opens  the  Play  by  an  intoned  explana- 
tion of  the  object  of  the  representation,  to  show 
"  how  the  human  race  became  reconciled  to  God 
through  the  blood  of  His  only-begotten  Son,"  the 
two  tableaux  being  symbolic  of  the  fall  and  the 
redemption  of  man.  The  words  of  greeting  from 
the  Prologus  indicate  the  spirit  in  which  the  Play 
is  given.  After  the  Chorus  explain  the  second 
tableau  they  leave  the  stage  with  solemn  and  dig- 
nified mien. 

Joyful  cries  are  heard  in  the  distance.  As  they 
come  nearer  and  grow  louder  they  are  accom- 
panied by  shouts  of  "  Hosanna  !  "  as  from  a  great 
multitude  of  people.  Soon  they  appear  ever  in- 
creasing in  number  winding  down  the  slope  from 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  children  waving  palm 
branches,  men  and  women  in  oriental  costumes  of 
beautiful  soft  colors.  They  are  all  rejoicing  and 
singing  songs  of  praise.  As  they  look  back  sing- 
ing ''  Heil  dir!  Heil  dir !  O  David' s  Sohn  !'' 
"  Hail  to  thee  !  hail  to  thee  !  O  Son  of  David,"  — 
in  their  midst,  riding  an  ass  and  surrounded  by 
his  Disciples,  comes  the  familiar  form  of  the 
Christus.  His  robe  is  of  soft  heliotrope  and  crim- 
son. His  face  and  figure  are  typical,  express- 
ing strength  and  gentleness.  As  he  advances 
through  the  crowd   his  hand  is  raised  as  in  bless- 


44  OBERAMMERGAU 

ing.  While  the  happy  throng  sing  their  song  of 
praise  the  Christus  dismounts  so  gently  we 
scarcely  perceive  the  motion.  As  the  crowd  sep- 
arate, he  approaches  the  Temple,  in  the  courts  of 
which  the  money-changers  and  merchants  are 
sitting.  When  he  sees  them  he  stops  in  astonish- 
ment, then  advances  with  dignity  and  in  a  tone 
of  sadness  and  indignation  addresses  them : 
"  What  see  I  here  ?  Is  my  Father's  house  thus 
dishonored  ?  Is  this  the  house  of  God  or  is  it  a 
market-place?  How  can  strangers,  who  come 
from  the  land  of  the  heathen,  worship  God  amid 
a  throng  of  money-changers?  And  you  priests, 
guardians  of  the  Temple,  you  can  look  on  this 
abomination  and  endure  it  !  Woe  be  unto  you  ! 
He  who  searches  the  heart  knows  why  you  en- 
courage such  disorder." 

The  crowd  listen  in  breathless  silence.  The 
merchants  ask,  "  Who  is  this  man  ?  "  "  He  is  the 
great  prophet  from  Nazareth  in  Galilee,"  answer 
the  people  as  with  a  single  voice. 

As  the  Christus  goes  toward  the  merchants, 
ordering  them  from  the  Temple,  the  Pharisees 
question  his  authority.  He  replies :  "  There  is 
room  enough  for  your  business  outside  the 
Temple.  '  My  house,'  says  the  Lord,  '  shall  be 
called  a  House  of  Prayer  for  all  the  nations,'  but 
you  have  made  it  a  den  of  robbers.  Away  with 
all  this  !  "     With  a  quick,  vigorous  movement  he 


The  Christus,  ]900,  1910 
Autou  Laug  was  twenty-five  years  old  when  he  first  enacted  the  part. 


THE  PRODUCTION  45 

overturns  the  money-tables ;  he  also  releases  the 
doves,  which  fly  away  to  their  homes.  As  the 
merchants  begin  their  lamentations,  he  seizes  a 
rope,  lying  near,  of  which  he  makes  a  scourge  of 
cords,  and  holding  it  on  high,  drives  the  merchants 
from  the  Temple, — more,  however,  by  the  digni- 
fied authority  of  his  manner  than  by  any  actual 
motion  against  them. 

After  answering  the  remonstrances  and  ques- 
tions of  the  Pharisees,  he  goes  into  the  Temple, 
followed  by  many  of  the  people.  The  priests 
intercept  those  that  remain  and  call  upon  them  to 
be  true  to  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  prophets. 
These  are  joined  by  the  merchants,  who  come 
back  calling  for  revenge.  This  is  promised  them 
by  the  Pharisees,  who  talk  to  the  people  with  such 
insistence  that  with  the  fickleness  of  a  great  crowd 
they,  who  a  few  moments  before  were  shouting, 
**  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  !  "  go  off  with  the 
excited  merchants,  crying:  "Moses  is  our  prophet, 
our  lawgiver  !     Away  with  all  others  1 " 


Representation  II 

The  Plot  of  the  High  Council 

Tableau.  The  sons  of  Jacob  resolve  to  destroy 
their  younger  brother,  Joseph.  Genesis 
xxxvii.  18.  The  foreshadowing  of  the  plot 
of  the  Sanhedrim  against  Christ. 


46  OBERAMMERGAU 

Action.  The  high  priests  and  scribes  take  council 
how  to  get  Jesus  into  their  power.  Meeting 
of  the  Sanhedrim,  or  High  Council. 

Scene  i.  The  High  Council  resolve  on  the 
seizure  of  Christ. 

Scene  2.  Caiaphas  encourages  the  High  Coun- 
cil. 

Scene  3.     Nathanael  brings  in  the  traders. 

Scene  4.     Annas  blesses  the  High  Council. 

As  the  curtain  parts  we  see  the  Jewish  Sanhe- 
drim, an  assembly  of  the  priests  of  the  Synagogue. 
They  are  all  clad  in  rich  vestments,  those  of  the 
presiding  high  priest,  Caiaphas,  being  white,  em- 
broidered with  gold.  On  his  head  he  wears  a 
white  jewelled  mitre  and  on  his  breast  a  square 
shield  or  breast-plate  containing  twelve  precious 
stones  with  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel.  He  opens  the  discussion  with  vehemence. 
Some  of  the  priests  recount  the  things  they  have 
all  suffered  at  Christ's  hands  :  his  triumphal  entry 
into  Jerusalem ;  the  driving  of  the  merchants 
from  the  Temple  ;  his  disregard  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets.  They  tell  how  the  people  turn  from 
them  and  run  after  him,  and  declare  that  their 
only  safeguard  is  to  imprison  him  ;  but  they  con- 
clude that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  try  to  seize 
him  when  he  is  surrounded  by  people.  After  de- 
liberating how  to  get  him  into  their  power,  they 


THE  PRODUCTION  47 

decide  to  offer  a  reward  to  the  merchants,  who 
are  now  brought  in  from  the  outer  court  where 
they  have  been  waiting  to  present  their  grievances 
to  the  High  Council.  They  tell  how  the  Galilean 
has  driven  them  with  a  scourge,  overturned  their 
money-tables,  and  spilled  their  oil,  and  they  de- 
mand satisfaction.  This  is  promised  them  by  the 
Sanhedrim.  They  eagerly  agree  to  find  out 
Christ's  nightly  stopping-place,  and  one  of  them 
says  he  knows  a  follower  of  Jesus  who  he 
thinks,  for  a  sufficient  reward,  would  betray  his 
Master. 

Annas,  another  high  priest,  enjoins  strict  silence, 
which  the  traders  swear  to  keep.  Then  Caiaphas 
says,  "  My  friends,  if  you  wish  fully  to  satisfy  your 
feeling  of  revenge,  you  will  spare  no  pains  in  en- 
kindling in  others  the  same  holy  zeal  that  inspires 
you."  They  reply  that  they  will  not  rest  till  the 
whole  people  are  turned  against  Jesus,  and  go 
out,  crying,  "  Our  life  for  the  law  of  Moses  and 
the  Holy  Sanhedrim." 


Representation  III 

The  Farewell  at  Bethany 

Tableau  i.  The  young  Tobias  taking  leave  of 
his  parents  before  starting  on  a  journey. 
Tobias   v.  32. 


48  OBERAMMERGAU 

Tableau  2.  The  Bride  of  the  Canticles  lament- 
ing the  absent  bridegroom.  Song  of  Solo- 
mon vi. 

Both    tableaux  foreshadow  the  parting  at 
Bethany. 

Action.  Christ  at  Bethany  is  anointed  by  Mary 
Magdalen,  whereupon  Judas  grumbles. 
Christ  says  farewell  to  his  Mother  and  to 
the  friends  at  Bethany. 

Scene  i.  Christ  and  his  Disciples  approach 
Bethany. 

Scene  2.  Christ  welcomed  by  Simon,  Lazarus, 
Martha  and  Mary  Magdalen. 

Scene  3.  A  room  in  Simon's  house.  Mary 
anoints  the  feet  of  Christ. 

Scene  4.  Christ  bids  farewell  to  the  friends  at 
Bethany. 

Scene  5.     Christ's  parting  from  his  Mother. 

At  this  time  Jesus  was  in  the  habit  of  leaving 
the  crowded  city  at  sunset.  He  often  went  with  his 
Disciples  to  Bethany,  to  Simon,  the  leper,  and  also 
Lazarus  and  his  sisters  Mary  and  Martha.  There 
he  stayed  until  morning  and  then  returned  to  Je- 
rusalem. 

We  see  him  and  his  followers  approaching 
Bethany.  Jesus  says  to  them  :  "  You  know,  dear 
Disciples,  that  the  feast  of  the  Passover  will  take 
place  after  two  days.     Therefore  let  us  make  a 


Maky,   1900 
Anna  Flunger,  now  married. 


THE  PRODUCTION  49 

last  visit  to  our  friends  in  Bethany  and  afterward 
go  to  Jerusalem,  where  in  these  last  days  all  will 
be  fulfilled  which  has  been  written  by  the  prophets 
concerning  the  Son  of  Man."  He  foretells  the 
manner  of  his  death,  but  the  Disciples,  believdng 
that  the  Messiah  will  remain  forever,  cannot  grasp 
the  meaning  of  his  words. 

As  they  draw  near  the  village,  their  friends 
come  out  to  meet  them.  Simon  hastens  forward. 
"  Best  of  teachers,  welcome.  What  joy  that  thou 
hast  not  scorned  my  invitation  and  dost  honor  my 
house  with  thy  presence  !  My  friends,  welcome  to 
you  all."  After  greetings  from  the  others,  they  all 
go  in.  As  they  sit  at  table,  Mary  Magdalen, 
whom  the  Oberammergauers  make  identical  with 
Mary  the  sister  of  Martha,  anoints  Christ's  feet 
with  precious  ointment,  saying  in  a  pleading  tone 
"  Rabbi."  Christ  answers  tenderly  and  compas- 
sionately, "  Mary."  The  Disciples  comment  in- 
dignantly and  Judas  breaks  out  into  open  re- 
monstrance, saying  that  the  ointment  could  have 
been  sold  and  the  money  given  to  the  poor. 
"  Let  her  alone,"  says  Jesus,  as  they  begin  to  find 
fault  with  her;  "why  are  you  troubling  her? 
This  is  a  beautiful  deed  that  she  has  done  for  me. 
You  always  have  the  poor  with  you  and  whenever 
you  wish  you  can  do  good  to  them ;  but  you  will 
not  always  have  me.  She  has  done  what  she 
could  ;  she  has  perfumed  my  body  beforehand  for 


50  OBERAMMERGAU 

my  burial.  And  I  tell  you,  wherever  in  the  whole 
world  the  Good  News  is  proclaimed,  what  this 
woman  has  done  will  be  told  in  memory  of 
her." 

He  thanks  Simon  for  his  hospitality,  and  as 
they  all  accompany  him  he  turns  and  says  to 
Simon  and  the  others :  "  Remain  here,  dear 
friends.  Once  more  farewell !  Dear  tranquil 
Bethany,  I  shall  never  more  linger  in  thy  peaceful 
valley  !  "  As  he  says  "  Farewell,"  and  turns  to  go, 
he  meets  Mary  and  her  companions.  The  scene 
which  follows,  the  parting  between  Jesus  and  his 
Mother,  is  deeply  touching.  She  hastens  to  her 
son,  saying  :  "Jesus!  dearest  Son!  With  long- 
ing have  I  hastened  with  my  friends  to  see  thee 
once  more  before  thou  goest,  ah  !  " 

Jesus  tells  her  that  he  is  going  to  Jerusalem, 
that  he  is  ready  to  complete  the  sacrifice  which 
the  Father  demands  from  him.  Her  intuition  tells 
her  what  that  sacrifice  will  be,  and  she  begs  to  be 
allowed  to  go  to  Jerusalem  with  him.  He  tells 
her  that  after  two  days  she  may  come  with  the 
friends  at  Bethany,  to  whose  care  he  commends 
her  in  the  meantime.  Mary  is  dressed,  as  in  old 
paintings  of  the  Madonna,  in  light  blue  and  soft 
old  rose,  with  a  white  head  drapery. 


THE  PRODUCTION  51 

Representation  IV 

The  Last  Going  to  Jerusalem 

Tableau.  King  Ahasuerus  rejects  Vashti  and 
exalts  Esther.  Esther  i.,  ii.  Vashti's  fate 
foreshadows  that  of  the  Synagogue. 

Action.  Christ  returns  with  his  Disciples  to  Je- 
rusalem, weeps  over  the  city.  He  sends  two 
of  the  Disciples  ahead  to  prepare  the  Pass- 
over lamb.  Judas  conceives  the  thought  of 
betraying  his  Master. 

Scene  i.  Christ  laments  over  Jerusalem,  fore- 
tells his  own  death,  sends  Peter  and  John  on 
into  the  city  to  prepare  the  Passover  lamb. 

Scene  2.  Judas  asks  Jesus  to  provide  for  the 
Disciples  before  he  leaves  them. 

Scene  3.  Judas,  remaining  behind,  decides  to 
leave  his  Master. 

Scene  4.  Dathan,  the  Temple  merchant,  ap- 
proaches Judas. 

Scene  5.  The  other  traders  finish  the  bribery. 
Judas  agrees  to  betray  Christ. 

Scene  6.  Judas,  alone,  wrestles  with  his  con- 
science. 

Scene  7.     Peter  and  John  at  the  house  of  Mark. 

As  the  little  band  approaches  Jerusalem,  Jesus 
weeps  over  the  fate  of  the  proud  city.  The  Dis- 
ciples ask  what  that  fate  will  be  and  beg  him  not 


52  OBERAMMERGAU 

to  go  there.  After  answering  them  Christ  sends 
Peter  and  John  ahead  with  instructions  to  follow 
a  man  whom  they  will  meet  carrying  a  jug  of 
water,  and  to  say  to  the  goodman  of  the  house 
that  he  enters,  "  The  Master  saith,  *  Where  is  the 
guest-chamber,  where  I  shall  eat  the  Passover 
with  my  Disciples  ?  ' '"'  Judas,  who  is  still  disturbed 
over  Mary  Magdalen's  waste  of  the  three  hundred 
pence,  showing  the  Master  the  empty  purse,  urges 
him,  if  he  is  going  to  leave  the  Disciples,  to  make 
some  provision  for  them.  "O  Judas,"  replies 
Jesus,  "  trouble  not  thyself  more  than  is  needful," 
and  turning  away  he  and  the  others  go  on  to  the 
city. 

Judas  remains  behind  and  in  an  agitated 
soliloquy  reveals  his  struggles  of  mind.  He  has 
just  decided  to  break  with  his  Master  when 
he  is  found  by  Dathan  and  the  other  Temple 
merchants.  After  a  time  he  agrees  for  a  large  re- 
ward to  reveal  Christ's  nightly  abiding-place. 
When  the  traders  leave,  he  once  more  tries  to  jus- 
tify his  course  to  himself,  but  he  cannot  forget  his 
Master's  goodness  to  him.  He  tries  to  quiet  his 
uneasy  conscience  by  the  hope  that  Jesus  will  use 
his  miraculous  powers  to  free  himself  from  his 
enemies.  Judas  decides,  in  this  event,  to  throw 
himself  at  his  Master's  feet  for  forgiveness.  "  I 
have  never  known  him  to  drive  the  penitent  from 
him." 


Leader  op  the  Chorus,  1890,  1900,  1910 
Jakob  Rutz,  father  of  Frau  Anton  Lang. 


THE  PRODUCTION  53 

The  last  scene  shows  John  and  Peter  meeting 
Baruch  with  the  pitcher  and  entering  the  house  of 
Mark. 


Representation  V 

The  Lor(V  s  Supper 

Tableau  i.  The  Lord  sends  manna  to  the  Israel- 
ites in  the  wilderness.     Exodus  xvi. 

Tableau  2.     The  grapes  brought  by  the   spies 
from  Canaan.     Numbers  xviii. 
Both  tableaux  foreshadow  the  Last  Supper. 

Action.  Jesus  celebrates  with  his  Disciples  the 
last  Passover  and  institutes  the  Supper  for  a 
new  covenant  in  his  memory. 

Scene  i.  Christ  and  the  Twelve  around  a  table 
in  the  house  of  Mark.  Christ  washes  the  feet 
of  the  Disciples.  He  institutes  the  sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Scene  2.  When  Peter  swears  his  loyalty,  Jesus 
foretells  his  denial. 

The  Tableau  "  Manna  in  the  Wilderness  "  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  whole  Passion  Play. 
It  includes  more  than  four  hundred  people,  nearly 
one-half  of  them  being  children.  They  are  ar- 
ranged with  great  artistic  skill,  the  children  in  the 
foreground.     Every  pose  is  natural.     All  eyes  and 


54  OBERAMMERGAU 

hands  are  turned  toward  the  manna,  which  falls 
continuously  from  Heaven. 

After  the  chorus  have  left  the  stage  the  curtains 
part  to  show  Christ  and  his  Disciples  around  the 
table  in  the  house  of  Mark.  Christ  says  :  "With 
longing-  have  I  wished  to  eat  this  Passover  with 
you  before  I  suffer,  for  I  say  to  you  from  this  time 
I  shall  not  eat  again  until  it  is  fulfilled  in  the 
Kingdom  of  God."  Then  taking  the  cup  he  con- 
tinues, "  Father,  I  thank  thee  for  this  drink  of  the 
vine."  After  drinking  and  handing  it  to  the  dis- 
ciples, he  adds,  "  Take  this  and  share  it  among 
you,  for  I  say  to  you  I  will  not  drink  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine  until  the  Kingdom  of  God  shall  come." 
His  companions,  interpreting  him  in  an  earthly 
sense,  ask  which  of  them  shall  be  first  in  that  King- 
dom. In  answer  Christ  asks  the  host  for  water 
and  a  towel,  then  washes  the  feet  of  the  Disciples. 
It  is  done  \vith  entire  self-forgetfulness  and  sim- 
plicity. The  only  sound  that  breaks  the  almost 
breathless  silence  is  the  singing  of  two  verses  of  a 
beautiful  hymn  by  the  invisible  chorus  of  angels. 
He  blesses  the  bread  and  puts  a  morsel  into  the  [ 
mouth  of  each  of  the  Disciples.  He  then  blesses 
the  wine,  and  he  passes  it  to  each  of  the  Twelve, 
who,  with  the  exception  of  Judas,  receive  it  with 
lowered  eyes  and  clasped  hands.  Not  only  they, 
but  also  the  vast  assembly  of  onlookers,  seem  to 
be  taking  part  in  that  solemn  service.     As  Dean 


THE  PRODUCTION  55 

Stanley  wrote,  "  It  is  probable  that  a  more  im- 
pressive communion  service,  impressive  from  its 
simplicity,  has  never  been  witnessed  since  the  first 
great  inauguration."  Many  of  the  audience  sit 
with  tears  pouring  down  their  faces,  so  reverently 
and  tenderly  and  with  such  gentle  dignity  is  it  all 
portrayed. 

When  Christ  says,  "  The  hand  of  my  betrayer 
is  with  me  at  the  table,"  they  are  all  startled.  As 
soon  as  Judas  discovers  that  Christ  knows  his 
guilt,  he  hurries  from  the  room.  When  Judas 
has  gone,  Jesus  says,  "  Now  the  Son  of  Man 
has  been  exalted  and  God  has  been  exalted 
through  him  :  and  God  will  exalt  him  with  him- 
self— yes,  he  will  exalt  him  forthwith.  My 
children,  I  am  to  be  with  you  but  a  little  longer." 

In  answer  to  Peter's  assertion  that  he  will  lay 
down  his  life  for  him,  Jesus  replies,  "  In  truth  I 
tell  you  the  cock  will  not  crow  twice  till  you  have 
denied  me  three  times."  Christ  comes  forward 
and  remains  in  deep  thought,  with  his  face 
turned  toward  Heaven  ;  turning,  and  seeing  the 
troubled  look  on  the  faces  of  his  followers,  he 
says  :  "  Do  not  let  your  hearts  be  troubled  ;  be- 
lieve in  God.  Believe  also  in  me.  In  my  Father's 
home  there  are  many  dwellings  and  I  am  going 
to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  I  shall  return  and 
take  you  to  be  with  me  that  you  may  be  where  I 
am.     Peace  be  with  you.     My  own  peace  I  give 


56  OBERAMMERGAU 

to  you.  I  do  not  give  to  you  as  the  world  gives. 
Keep  my  command.  This  is  my  command,  that 
you  love  one  another  as  I  have  loved  you.  I  shall 
not  talk  with  you  much  more,  for  the  spirit  that 
is  ruling  the  world  is  coming  that  the  world  may 
see  that  I  love  the  Father  and  that  I  do  as  the' 
Father  commands  me.     Come,  let  us  be  going." 


Representation  VI 

The  Betrayer 

Tableau.     The  sons  of  Jacob  sell  their  brother 

for  twenty  pieces  of  silver.     Genesis  xxxvii. 

29. 
Action.     Judas    comes    to    the    Sanhedrim,    and 

promises  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver  to  deliver 

his  Master  into  the  hands  of  the  Pharisees. 

They  resolve  on  the  death  of  Christ. 
Scene  i.     The      Sanhedrim.      Caiaphas     orders 

Judas  to  be  brought  in. 
Scene  2.     Judas  receives  the  price  of  betrayal. 
Scene  3.     After    Judas    goes    out,   the   Council 

condemns  Christ  to  death. 
Scene  4.     The  members  of  the  Council  decide  to 

go  through  the  form  of  a  trial. 

Caiaphas,   presiding  in  a  meeting  of  the  San- 
hedrim, tells  the   priests  and   Pharisees  that   the 


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THE  PRODUCTION  57 

zealous  Israelite  has  found  a  follower  of  the 
Galilean,  who  will  lead  them  to  him  by  night. 
They  send  for  Judas,  who,  in  answer  to  the  ques- 
tions of  the  Pharisees,  says  that  his  friendship  for 
his  Master  has  cooled.  He  then  asks  what  re- 
ward they  will  give  him  for  leading  them  to 
Christ.  As  the  Rabbi  gives  him  the  thirty  pieces 
of  silver,  he  counts  them,  testing  each  piece. 
The  High  Council  promises  him  an  armed  band 
to  surround  Jesus  and  his  followers. 

After  he  has  gone  out  there  is  a  stormy  dis- 
cussion in  the  Sanhedrim.  The  priests  condemn 
Jesus  to  death  against  the  vehement  protests  of 
Nicodemus  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  who  finally 
leave  the  Council,  swearing  that  they  will  not 
remain  where  the  innocent  are  condemned.  The 
Council  decides  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  sit  in 
formal  judgment  on  "  this  man  "  and  to  provide 
witnesses,  but  that  the  sentence  must  be  carried 
out  at  any  cost. 


Representation  VII 

Christ  071  the  Mount  of  Olives 

Tableau  i.  Adam  condemned  to  earn  his  bread 
by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  Genesis  iii.  19, 
Typical  of  Christ's  bloody  sweat. 

Tableau  2.  Joab,  under  the  pretext  of  giving 
Amasa   a    friendly    kiss,    thrusts    his    sword 


58  OBERAMMERGAU 

through    Amasa's    body.     2    Samiirl  xx.    9. 

The  treachery  of  Judas, 
Action.     Christ  suffers  bitter  agony,  is   betrayed 

by  Judas  with  a  kiss,  is  seized  by  the  soldiers 

and  led  away. 
Scene   i.     Judas    appears    in    the    neighborhood 

of   the    Mount    of    Olives,    accompanied   by 

priests  and  soldiers. 
Scene  2.     Christ  prays   in  the  Garden  of  Geth- 

semane. 
Scene  3.     An  angel  comforts  him. 
Scene  4.     Judas  betrays  his  Master  with  a  kiss. 

Judas,  four  priests,  the  merchants,  the  armed 
band,  and  a  crowd  of  people  pass  by  on  their 
way  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Judas  tells  them  to 
observe  the  one  whom  he  kisses,  for  that  will  be 
the  Master. 

Christ  and  the  Twelve  now  enter  the  Garden 
of  Gethsemane.  The  Master  takes  Peter,  John, 
and  James  apart,  saying :  "  My  soul  is  exceeding 
sorrowful  even  unto  death.  Tarry  ye  here  and 
watch  with  me."  Going  a  little  farther  he  falls 
on  his  face  and  prays,  "  O  my  Father,  if  it  be 
possible  let  this  cup  pass  from  me  :  nevertheless 
not  my  will  but  thine  be  done."  He  comes  back 
to  the  three,  and  finding  them  asleep  asks  them 
if  they  cannot  watch  one  hour.  As  they  promise 
that  they  will  pray  and  watch,  he  looks  at  them 


£i£i 


ScHUTZGEisT,  One  of  the  Chorus  of  Protecting  Spirits 
Mathilde  Rutz,  now  wife  of  Anton  Lang. 


THE  PRODUCTION  59 

tenderly,  saying  :  "  The  spirit  indeed  is  willing, 
but  the  flesh  is  weak."  He  goes  away  and  prays 
again,  and  once  more  he  finds  them  sleeping. 
While  he  prays  a  third  time  in  anguish,  weighed 
down  by  the  sins  of  the  world,  a  shining  angel 
appears,  and  gives  him  a  message  of  comfort  and 
courage  from  the  Father. 

As  he  comes  to  the  sleeping  three,  the  clash 
of  arms  is  heard  and  the  Disciples  hastily  gather 
round  their  Master.  They  see  a  crowd  approach- 
ing. Judas  comes  forward  out  of  the  darkness 
and,  kissing  Jesus,  says,  "  Hail,  Master !  "  The 
latter  replies  :  "  Friend,  wherefore  art  thou  come  ? 
Dost  thou  betray  the  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss  ?  "  and 
turning  to  the  crowd,  "  Whom  seek  you  ? "  In 
answer  to  their  cry,  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  he  says, 
**  I  am  he."  The  soldiers  fall  to  the  ground  cry- 
ing, "Woe  unto  us,  what  is  this?"  Christ  bids 
them  "  Arise,  have  no  fear."  As  they  come  for- 
ward, Peter  draws  his  sword  and  cuts  ofi  the  ear 
of  Malchus.  After  telling  his  followers  to  desist, 
Christ  touches  the  ear  of  Malchus  and  heals  it. 

While  Christ  is  being  bound  by  the  soldiers,  his 
Disciples  disappear  in  the  crowd.  Up  to  this  time 
we  have  always  seen  him  attended  by  the  Twelve. 
Now  one  of  them  has  given  him  over  to  his  ene- 
mies and  the  others  have  deserted  him. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  PRODUCTION  {Continued) 

NOW  at  noontime  comes  a  pause  of  two 
hours.     At  the  end  of  the  intermission 
another  warning  boom   of  the  cannon 
announces  the  continuance  of  the  Play. 

SECOND  DIVISION 

From  the  Arrest  in  the   Garden  of  Gethsemane  to  the 
Sentence  by  Pilate. 

Representation  VIII 

Jesus  before  Annas 

Tableau.     Micaiah,  the  prophet,  receives  a  blow 

on  the  cheek  because  he  reveals  the  truth  to 

King  Ahab.     /  Kings  xxii.  24. 
Action.     Jesus   is   brought   before   Annas  and  is 

struck  in  the  face. 
Scene  i.     Annas  in  great  excitement  awaits  the 

arrival  of  Jesus  at  his  palace. 
Scene  2.     Judas    is    filled   with    horror  to   learn 

that  Jesus  has  been  condemned  to  death. 

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THE  PRODUCTION  6i 

Scene  3.     Jesus  before  Annas  receives  a  blow  on 

the  cheek. 
Scene  4.     The  soldiers  lead  Jesus  away,  making 

mockery  of  him. 
Scene  5.     Peter  and  John  seeking  tidings  of  the 

Master. 

After  the  Protecting  Spirits  have  left  the  stage, 
we  see  Annas  on  the  balcony  of  his  palace  im- 
patiently awaiting  the  news  of  the  capture  of  Jesus. 
He  sends  his  servants  to  find  out  what  has 
taken  place. 

Soon  the  four  priests  and  Judas  come,  and  when 
Annas  learns  that  Christ  has  been  seized,  he  says 
to  Judas  :  "  Judas,  thy  name  shall  have  an  honor- 
able place  in  our  annals.  Before  the  feast  shall 
the  Galilean  die."  "Die?"  says  Judas,  greatly 
moved.  "  I  did  not  deliver  him  to  you  for  that." 
He  hastens  away,  overcome  with  bitter  remorse. 

Christ  is  now  led  to  the  balcony  of  Annas,  who 
questions  him  about  his  teachings.  Jesus  remains 
for  some  time  silent,  finallysaying  :  "  I  have  always 
taught  openly  in  the  synagogue  and  the  temple. 
Why  do  you  ask  me  ?  Ask  those  who  have  heard 
me.  They  know  what  I  have  said."  At  this 
Balbus  strikes  him  in  the  face  and  he  is  led 
away. 

Peter  and  John  approach  the  house,  greatly  dis- 
turbed at  not  finding  their  Master. 


62  OBERAMMERGAU 

Representation  IX 

Jesus  before  Caiaphas 

Tableau  i.     The  innocent  Naboth  is  condemned 
to   death    by  false  witnesses.     /   Kings   xxi. 

13- 

Tableau  2.     Job  endures  many  insults  from  his 

wife  and  his  friends.    Job  ii.  9. 
Action.     Christ  is  led  to  Caiaphas,  is  examined  by 

him  and  pronounced  worthy  of  death,  is  de- 
nied by  Peter,  is  mocked  and  abused  by  the 

servants. 
Scene  i.     The   soldiers  with    rough   jokes  lead 

Christ  through  the  streets. 
Scene  2.     Bedroom     of     Caiaphas.      Caiaphas, 

priests,  and  Pharisees. 
Scene  3.     False     witnesses     testifying     against 

Christ.     Caiaphas  condemns  him  to  death. 
Scene  4.     Caiaphas    orders    a   meeting   of    the 

High  Council. 
Scene  5.     Judas,  driven  up  and  down  by  anguish, 

comes  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas. 
Scene  6.     The  Hall  of  the  Palace  of  Caiaphas. 

Peter's  denial. 
Scene  7.     Peter's  repentance. 
Scene  8.     The  soldiers  mock  Christ. 

We   hear   shouts   and   laughter.     A   crowd    of 
people   come   down   the   street   surrounding   the 


THE  PRODUCTION  63 

noble  figure  of  Christ,  who  is  driven  by  the  insult- 
ing, mocking  soldiers  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas. 
An  assembly  of  priests  and  Pharisees  gathered 
there  are  excitedly  preparing  for  a  semblance  of  a 
trial.  When  Christ  is  brought  in,  the  false  wit- 
nesses come  forward  and  testify  against  him. 
When  they  have  finished  Caiaphas  questions 
Jesus,  who  remains  silent  until  finally  asked,  "Art 
thou  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  the  living  God?" 
He  replies  :  "  Thou  hast  said  it  and  I  am.  Never- 
theless I  say  unto  you  :  hereafter  ye  shall  see  the 
Son  of  Man  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God  in 
power  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  the  heaven." 
Caiaphas  rends  his  garment  in  wrath  and  indigna- 
tion at  the  blasphemy  of  these  words  and  asks : 
"  What  further  need  of  witnesses  ?  Ye  have  heard 
his  blasphemy.  What  think  ye?"  With  one  ac- 
cord they  reply,  "  He  is  worthy  of  death." 

They  agree  to  have  the  sentence  confirmed  by 
the  Sanhedrim  in  the  morning  and  then  to  obtain 
Pilate's  permission  to  carry  it  out. 

Judas  approaches  the  palace  of  Annas.  "  I  am 
driven  about  by  anxious  forebodings !  The  words 
of  Annas,  •  He  must  die ' — oh,  these  words  pursue 
me  and  torment  me  wherever  I  go ! — No  !  no ! 
they  would  not  push  it  as  far  as  that.  It  would  be 
horrible — horrible, — if  they  should  put  my  Master 
to  death — and  I — I — guilty  of  it ! — No  !  It  can- 
not  go   as    far   as  that.     They   have   no   reason 


64  OBERAMMERGAU 

for  it.  In  the  house  of  Caiaphas  here  1  can  ask 
his  fate." 

The  soldiers  have  been  waiting  in  a  hall  of  the 
palace.  Peter  comes  in,  ostensibly  to  warm  him- 
self, but  really  to  obtain  news  of  his  Master.  One 
of  the  servants  recognizes  him  and  asks  him  if  he 
is  not  one  of  the  disciples  of  the  Man  of  Galilee. 
Then  follow  the  three  denials,  and  Peter,  recalling 
with  grief  the  words  of  his  Master  at  the  Last 
Supper,  is  about  to  go  away  when  Christ  is 
brought  in.  The  latter  looks  with  sorrow  at 
Peter,  who  holds  out  his  hands  appealingly,  and 
as  the  Master  is  led  away  by  the  soldiers,  covers 
his  face.  He  goes  out  into  the  street  weeping 
bitterly.  "  O  dearest  Master !  How  far  have  I 
fallen  !  I,  weak,  miserable  man  !  I  have  denied 
thee,  three  times  denied  thee,  my  best  friend  and 
teacher,  for  whom  I  promised  to  go  even  unto 
death ! "  But  he  recalls  the  compassionate  look 
his  Master  gave  him  and  feels  that  he  will  be 
forgiven.  He  goes  away,  saying,  "The  whole 
love  of  my  heart  shall  from  this  moment  belong  to 
thee  and  bind  me  close  to  thee,  and  nothing  shall 
ever  have  the  power  to  separate  me  from  thee." 
As  Peter  disappears,  John  comes  seeking  him. 

We  now  see  Christ  in  prison  bound  and 
mocked  and  buffeted  by  the  soldiers.  He  main- 
tains his  lofty  dignity  throughout  the  harrowing 
scene. 


Peter,  1900 
As  represented  by  Thomas  Rendl,  who  in  1910  is  "  Simon  of  Bethany.  " 


THE  PRODUCTION  65 

Representation  X 

The  Despair  of  Judas 

Tableau.  Cain,  tortured  by  the  pangs  of  con- 
science, wanders  up  and  down  the  earth. 
Genesis  iv.  10-17. 

Action.  The  High  Council  confirms  the  death 
sentence  already  pronounced  on  Christ. 
Judas,  full  of  repentance,  comes  to  the  Coun- 
cil, throws  down  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver, 
and  driven  by  despair  goes  away  and  hangs 
himself. 

Scene  i.  Judas,  driven  to  and  fro  by  ever-in- 
creasing anguish  of  spirit. 

Scene  2.     A  meeting  of  the  High  Council. 

Scene  3.  Judas  upbraids  the  Council  and  casts 
the  money  at  their  feet. 

Scene  4.  The  Council  decide  to  buy  the  potter's 
field  with  the  money. 

Scene  5.     Christ  before  the  Council. 

Scene  6.  The  three  messengers  of  the  Council 
before  the  House  of  Pilate. 

Scene  7.     The  end  of  Judas. 

Judas  appears  wrestling  with  the  pangs  of  re- 
morse and  despair,  and  says  :  "  So  has  my  an- 
guished foreboding  become  a  horrible  certainty. 
Caiaphas  has  condemned  the  Master  to  death  and 
the    Council  has  agreed   to  the  sentence.     It  is 


66  OBERAMMERGAU 

over  ; — no  hope  of  a  pardon.  If  the  Master  had 
wished  to  save  himself,  he  would  have  made  his 
power  felt  a  second  time  in  the  Garden  of  Geth- 
semane.  As  he  did  not  do  it  then,  he  will  never 
do  it.  What  can  I  do  for  him — I,  the  unhappy 
one,  who  have  delivered  him  over  into  their 
hands?"  He  goes  off,  saying,  "  O,  the  pains  of 
hell  torture  my  inmost  soul ! " 

As  the  Sanhedrim  sit  making  further  plans, 
Judas  rushes  in  and  asks:  "Is  it  true?  Have 
you  condemned  my  Master  to  death  ?  "  A  Rabbi 
speaks  :  *'  Why  do  you  thrust  yourself  uncalled 
into  this  assembly  ?  Out  from  here  1  We  will 
call  you  when  we  need  you."  Judas  insists  :  *'  I 
must  know  it!  Have  you  sentenced  him?" 
"  He  must  die,"  they  all  answer.  Judas  upbraids 
the  Sanhedrim  and  is  told  to  leave  the  council- 
chamber.  "  I  demand  the  release  of  the  innocent. 
My  hands  shall  be  free  from  his  blood." 
"What!"  answers  the  Rabbi.  "Thou  shameless 
traitor !  Thou  wilt  dictate  to  the  Holy  San- 
hedrim? Know  then,  thy  master  must  die  and 
thou  hast  delivered  him  to  death ! "  Almost 
mechanically,  as  if  stunned,  he  drops  to  the  floor 
and  with  vacant  look  repeats  the  Rabbi's  words. 
"  He  must  die  ?  I  am  a  traitor?  I  have  dehvered 
him  to  death."  Suddenly  breaking  into  a  frenzy 
of  rage  and  despair,  he  cries,  "  Then  may  ten 
thousand  devils  from  hell  tear  me  to  pieces,  crush 


Judas,  1890,   li»00,  ]910 
Johann  Zwink,  father  of  the  "  Mary  "  of  1910. 


THE  PRODUCTION  67 

me!"  He  flings  the  accursed  blood-money  at 
their  feet  and  cursing  them  rushes  from  the 
council-chamber. 

The  High  Council,  relieved  by  his  departure, 
decide,  since  the  money  is  blood-money  and  can- 
not be  returned  to  the  treasury,  to  use  it  to  buy 
the  potter's  field  as  a  burial  place  for  strangers. 

Jesus  is  now  brought  before  the  Sanhedrim. 
Again  they  question  him  and  ask  him  if  he  is  the 
Son  of  God.  Again  he  answers,  "  Ye  say  it  and  I 
am."  They  shudder  at  this  blasphemy  and  unan- 
imously exclaim,  '•  He  must  die  !  "  But  Pilate 
must  ratify  their  decision  ;  so  they  send  the  Rabbi 
and  two  other  members  of  the  Council  to  announce 
their  coming.  When  the  three  reach  the  palace 
of  Pilate  they  cannot  accept  the  servant's  invitation 
to  enter,  as  it  is  against  the  law  for  them  to  go 
into  a  Gentile's  house  at  the  time  of  the  Passover. 
Pilate  sends  them  word  that  he  will  listen  to  the 
petition  of  the  High  Council. 

Now  follows  the  last  act  in  the  life  of  Judas. 
He  appears  in  a  wood,  and  in  a  wonderful  solilo- 
quy, shows  the  depth  and  bitterness  of  his  repent- 
ance. The  memory  of  his  Master's  love  and 
goodness,  forgotten  during  the  time  of  temptation, 
now  almost  overwhelms  him.  His  crime  is  too 
great.  He  will  end  his  accursed  life.  He  tears 
the  girdle  from  his  waist  and  is  about  to  hang 
himself  as  the  curtain  falls. 


68  OBERAMMERGAU 

Representation  XI 

Christ  before  Pilate 

Tableau.  Daniel  falsely  accused  before  King 
Darius.     Daniel  vi.  4. 

Action.  Christ  is  taken  to  Pilate,  before  whom 
the  priests  make  their  accusations.  Pilate  de- 
clares him  innocent  and  orders  him  to  be 
taken  to  Herod. 

Scene  i.  Priests,  traders,  witnesses,  and  sol- 
diers take  Christ  to  Pilate. 

Scene  2.  Quintus,  Pilate's  servant,  interviews 
them. 

Scene  3.  The  priests  make  their  accusations  to 
Pilate. 

Scene  4.     Christ  and  Pilate. 

Scene  5.     Pilate  receives  a  message  from  his  wife. 

Scene  6.     Pilate  talks  with  his  courtiers. 

Scene  7.  Pilate  orders  the  priests  to  take  Christ 
to  King  Herod. 

Caiaphas,  Annas,  the  priests,  Pharisees,  traders 
and  witnesses  appear  surrounding  Christ,  who  is 
led  by  Selpha  and  followed  by  a  throng  of  peo- 
ple. Pilate  interviews  them  from  his  balcony. 
As  he  does  not  consider  the  reasons  given  by 
the  High  Council  for  the  death  sentence  to  be 
sufficient,  he  orders  Christ  brought  up  on  the  bal- 
cony and  after  questioning  him  finds  him  without 
blame.     As  Jesus  is  saying  that  he  came  into  the 


Pilate,  1900,  1910 
Sebastian  Bauer,  burgomaster  of  Oberammergau  in  1910. 


THE  PRODUCTION  69 

world  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth,  and  Pilate  asks, 
"  What  is  truth  ?  "  they  are  interrupted  by  a  mes- 
senger from  Pilate's  wife.  She  sends  him  word  to 
have  nothing  to  do  with  "  that  just  person  "  as  she 
"  has  suffered  many  things  this  day  in  a  dream 
because  of  him." 

Pilate  summons  the  high  priests,  and  believing 
that  their  accusations  are  prompted  only  by  envy 
and  jealousy,  he  refuses  to  pass  the  death  sentence. 
The  Pharisees,  however,  are  insistent ;  but  when 
Pilate  discovers  that  Jesus  is  from  Nazareth,  which 
is  in  the  jurisdiction  of  King  Herod,  he  sends 
them  to  him. 


Representation  XII 

Christ  before  Herod 

Tableau.     Samson  makes  sport  for  the  Philis- 
tines.    Judges   xvi.  25. 

Action.     Herod  treats  Christ  with    mockery  and 
derision  and  sends  him  back  to  Pilate. 

Scene  i.     Herod  and  his  court  await  Christ  with 
curiosity. 

Scene  2.     Herod  questions  and  ridicules  Christ. 

Scene  3.     Herod  refuses  to  pronounce  the  death 
sentence  and  sends  the  priests  back  to  Pilate. 

Scene  4.     Herod  and  his  courtiers. 

Herod,  clad  in  scarlet,  with  a  golden  crown  and 

sceptre,  is  seated  on  his  throne   talking  with  his 


70  OBERAMMERGAU 

courtiers  and  awaiting  the  arrival  of  Jesus.  He 
does  not  mean  to  pass  sentence  on  Chirist,  but  onl}^ 
to  try  his  miracle-working  powers,  of  which  he 
has  heard  such  marvellous  reports. 

Caiaphas  and  the  other  priests  come  in,  followed 
by  Jesus  led  by  Herod's  soldiers.  Herod  is 
flattered  to  learn  that  Pilate  has  sent  them  to  him 
for  judgment.  He  asks  Christ  to  interpret  a 
dream,  to  perform  some  miracle.  "  Cause  it  to 
become  suddenly  dark  in  this  hall !  Or — raise 
thyself  and  walk  before  us  without  touching  the 
floor,  or  change  the  roll  which  contains  thy  death 
sentence  into  a  serpent."  As  Christ  makes  no  re- 
sponse to  these  demands,  Herod  orders  a  white 
robe  to  be  brought  and  placed  upon  the  silent, 
majestic  figure,  and  mockingly  hails  him  as  king. 
He  commands  the  soldiers  to  lead  him  away. 
The  priests  demand  the  death  sentence.  Herod 
refuses  to  give  it  and  sends  them  full  of  anger 
back  to  Pilate. 


Representation  XIII 

The  scourging  and  croivning  with  thorns 

Tableau  i.  Joseph's  blood-stained  coat  brought 
to  the  Patriarch  Jacob.      Geiiesis  xxxvii,  32. 

Tableau  2.  The  ram  appointed  for  sacrifice  in 
place  of  Isaac.     Genesis  xxii.  13. 


THE  PRODUCTION  71 

Action.  Christ  is  led  once  more  before  Pilate, 
who  offers  the  choice  between  Christ  and 
Barabbas  and  orders  Christ  to  be  scourged. 

Scene  i.  Priests,  Pharisees,  traders,  and  Christ 
led  by  Roman  soldiers,  approach  the  house  of 
Pilate. 

Scene  2.  Pilate  says  the  people  shall  choose 
between  Christ  and  Barabbas  and  promises 
that  the  former  shall  be  scourged. 

Scene  3.  Caiaphas  exhorts  the  merchants  to 
incite  the  people  against  Christ. 

Scene  4.  Christ  is  scourged  and  crowned  with 
thorns. 

Again  he  is  dragged  back  to  Pilate,  always  at- 
tended by  the  priests,  Pharisees,  merchants,  wit- 
nesses, and  a  guard  of  soldiers.  They  determine 
to  force  Pilate  to  pass  sentence.  He  still  tries  to 
evade  their  demand  and  promises  to  have  Jesus 
scourged.  He  finally  tells  them  that  when,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  the  people  assemble  there  to 
beg  the  release  of  a  prisoner,  he  will  allow  them 
to  choose  between  Christ  and  Barabbas. 

As  Pilate  goes  in,  Caiaphas  speaks  :  *'  Pilate 
calls  for  the  voice  of  the  people.  Well,  we  also 
call  for  it."  Then  to  the  merchants  and  witnesses  : 
"  Now,  brave  Israelites,  your  time  has  come.  Go 
into  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  summon  your  friends 
to   come   here.     Gather   them   in    great   crowds, 


72  OBERAMMERGAU 

kindle  in  them  the  most  glowing  hatred  against 
the  enemy  of  Moses."  As  they  all  hurry  away, 
they  cry  :  "  Free  Barabbas  !  To  the  cross  with 
the  Galilean !  " 

We  have  seen  Jesus,  his  hands  bound  behind 
his  back,  dragged  from  one  tribunal  to  another. 
He  has  been  mocked  and  buffeted  and  cruelly 
treated  by  the  soldiers.  Now  they  have  led  him 
to  be  scourged.  As  the  curtains  part,  the  blows 
cease.  They  set  him  on  a  rude  prison  stool, 
they  crown  him  with  a  crown  of  thorns  and  put  a 
scarlet  robe  on  him  and  hail  him  in  derision  as 
their  king.  Throughout  the  whole  scene  he  shows 
no  trace  of  anger  but  bears  the  insults  with  sorrow- 
ful dignity. 


Representation  XIV 

Christ  is  condemned  to  die  on  the  cross 

Tableau  i.  Joseph  is  placed  before  the  people 
as  ruler.      Genesis  xli.  41. 

Tableau  2.  Casting  lots  over  the  two  goats, 
one  to  be  a  sin-offering,  the  other  a  scape- 
goat.    Leviticus  xvi.  7. 

Action.  Pilate  places  the  scourged  and  thorn- 
crowned  Christ  before  the  people,  who  de- 
mand the  release  of  Barabbas  and  the  death 
of  Christ.     The  firmness  of  Pilate  is  shaken 


O 

•A 
O 
O 

>-; 

w 

^; 

o 


in 
O 


THE  PRODUCTION  73 

by  threats.  Once  more  giving  testimony  to 
the  innocence  of  Christ,  he  frees  Barabbas 
and  pronounces  the  death  sentence  on  Christ. 

Scene  i.  The  clamoring  throng,  led  by  Caia- 
phas,  Annas,  Nathanael,  and  Ezekiel,  appear 
in  the  street  before  the  palace  of  Pilate. 

Scene  2.  Pilate,  disturbed  at  the  threats  of  the 
priests,  pronounces  the  death  sentence. 

Distant  shouts  are  heard ;  then  they  come  nearer. 
Caiaphas,  Annas,  Nathanael,  and  Ezekiel  appear, 
each  leading  a  mob  of  people  and  all  crying  :  "  We 
listen  to  Moses !  We  stand  by  our  priests !  To 
death  with  the  false  prophet!"  When  they  are 
all  gathered  about  the  Palace,  Caiaphas  tells  them 
to  demand  the  sentence  with  violence, — "  Threaten 
a  general  tumult." 

As  Pilate  comes  out  on  his  balcony,  Christ,  the 
crown  of  thorns  on  his  head,  is  brought  in  by  two 
soldiers.  The  people  call  out  tumultuously, 
"Judge  him,  sentence  him!"  Pilate,  looking 
compassionately  toward  Jesus,  says,  "  Behold  the 
Man  !  "  He  is  interrupted  by  shouts,  "  To  the  cross 
with  him  ! "  When  Barabbas,  the  image  of  a 
depraved  criminal,  is  brought  forward,  Pilate 
hopes  that  the  contrast  presented  by  Christ's 
noble  figure  will  soften  their  hearts  ;  but  they  all 
cry  with  one  accord,  '*  Release  Barabbas  ! "  When 
asked   what  shall  be  done  with   the  king  of  the 


74  OBERAMMERGAU 

Jews,  they  answer  with  a  single  voice,  "  Crucify 
him  !  "  Even  now  Pilate  wishes  to  let  him  go,  but 
at  last  yields  to  the  threats  of  the  people.  He 
calls  for  water,  saying  :  "I  wash  my  hands.  I  am 
innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just  man.  It  will  rest 
upon  you."  The  priests  and  the  people  answer: 
"We  take  it  upon  us.  His  blood  be  upon  us  and 
upon  our  children  !  " 

Pilate  commands  Barabbas  to  be  led  away  and 
orders  two  malefactors  to  be  brought  to  be  con- 
demned with  Christ.  The  death  sentence  is  then 
read. 


THIRD  DIVISION 
From  the  sentence  by  Pilate  to  the  glorious  resurrection 
of  the  Lord. 

Representation  XV 

The  Procession  to  the  Cross 
Tableau  i.     Isaac,  appointed  for  sacrifice,  carries 

the  altar-wood   up   Mount   Moriah.     Genesis 

xxii.  i-io. 
Tableau  2.     Moses  elevates  the  brazen  serpent 

upon  a  pole.     Numbers  xxi.  8,  9. 
Action.     Christ,   burdened  with   the  cross,  is  led 

toward   Golgotha.     He   meets  his  mourning 

Mother.     Simon  of   Cyrene   is  compelled  to 

take   the   cross.     The   women   of   Jerusalem 

weep  over  Jesus. 


THE  PRODUCTION  75 

Scene  i.  Mary,  her  companions,  John,  Joseph 
of  Arimathea. 

Scene  2.  They  hear  the  tumult  of  the  approach- 
ing crowd. 

Scene  3.     Simon  of  Cyrene. 

Scene  4.  The  procession  of  the  cross  appears, 
headed  by  a  Roman  horseman  carrying  the 
Roman  standard. 

Scene  5.     Centurion  with   message  from   Pilate. 

Mary,  John,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  Mary  Mag- 
dalen, Kleopha,  and  Salome  have  come  to  Jeru- 
salem to  search  for  Jesus.  As  they  come  through 
the  streets,  they  hear  a  great  noise  in  the  dis- 
tance. As  it  draws  nearer  it  grows  to  a  tumult 
of  shouts  and  cries.  A  great  crowd  of  people 
come  through  the  gateway,  among  them  a 
Roman  horseman  bearing  the  Roman  standard, 
S.  P.  Q.  R.,  followed  by  Roman  soldiers.  Then 
come  the  lictors  with  Christ  who,  worn  out  with 
fatigue  and  pain,  is  borne  almost  to  the  earth  by 
the  weight  of  his  heavy  cross.  Close  behind 
come  the  priests,  the  Pharisees,  and  the  two 
thieves  bearing  smaller  crosses.  They  are  sur- 
rounded by  a  mocking,  jeering  throng  of  people. 
As  they  come  into  sight  Mary  cries:  "It  is  he! 
O  God  !  It  is  my  son,  my  Jesus  ! "  The  prog- 
ress is  very  slow,  and  at  last  Christ  sinks  to  the 
ground  beneath  the  heavy  burden.     The  execu- 


76  OBERAMMERGAU 

tioners,  catching  sight  of  Simon  of  Cyrene,  who 
with  basket  on  arm  has  appeared  some  moments 
earlier,  place  the  cross  on  his  broad  shoulders. 
He  remonstrates,  but  as  he  sees  the  noble,  sor- 
rowful figure  of  Christ  bowed  to  the  earth,  a  look 
of  love  and  grief  comes  into  his  face.  "  What  do 
I  see  ?  The  holy  Man  of  Nazareth  ?  For  love  of 
thee  will  I  carry  it.  O  that  I  could  by  doing  it  be 
worthy  of  thee  !  " 

One  of  the  executioners  pushes  the  bowed 
figure  of  Jesus  and  tries  to  hurry  him  on,  but  they 
have  to  wait  a  little.  As  he  rises  Veronica  comes 
to  him  and  offers  him  a  linen  cloth  with  which  to 
wipe  the  blood  and  sweat  from  his  face.  As  the 
procession  moves  on,  it  is  halted  by  a  messenger 
from  Pilate,  who  orders  the  Captain  to  come  to 
him  at  once.  The  procession  now  disappears, 
the  people  crying :  "  To  the  cross  with  him ! 
To  the  cross  !     Long  live  the  Synagogue  ! " 


Representation  XVI 

Jesus  on  Golgotha 

The  Prologus  and  Chorus  of  Protecting  Spirits 
appear  clad  in  black  mantles.  Heavy  ham- 
mer-blows are  heard  during  the  singing. 

Action.  Jesus  is  raised  on  the  cross.  The  crowd 
scoff    at    him.     His   last   words   and    death. 


John,  1890,  1900 
Peter  Rendl,  who  in  1910  represents  "Joseph  of  Arimathea." 


THE  PRODUCTION  77 

The.  descent  from  the  cross.     Provision  made 

by  the   Jews   for  watching   the    grave.     The 

burial  of  his  body. 
Scene  i.     Calvary.     The  cross  on  which  Christ 

is    already   fastened    is    raised    to    position. 

The  casting  of  lots  ;  the  death. 
Scene  2.     The  lance  thrust. 
Scene  3.     The  priests  appoint  a  watch  for  the 

grave. 
Scene  4.     The  descent  from  the  cross. 

The  Protecting  Spirits,  clad  in  black  mantles, 
walk  solemnly  and  sadly  on  to  the  stage.  During 
the  address  of  the  Prologus  heavy  hammer- 
blows  are  heard  from  behind  the  scenes.  As  the 
curtains  part,  the  scene  on  Calvary  appears.  The 
thieves  already  hang  on  their  crosses.  In  the 
centre  on  the  ground  is  the  Christ,  nailed  to  the 
cross.  An  executioner  affixes  the  inscription, 
"  This  is  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  King  of  the  Jews," 
and  the  cross  is  raised  to  position.  The  silence 
in  the  auditorium  is  broken  only  by  the  sobs 
that  many  are  unable  to  repress.  There  is  the 
beautiful,  majestic  figure  that  we  have  followed 
from  the  triumphal  entry  into  Jerusalem  up  to  this 
moment,  when,  forsaken  by  all  his  followers,  he 
hangs  on  Calvary.  The  crowd  that  in  the  begin- 
ning shouted  hosannas  to  his  name  are  now  revil- 
ing him. 


78  OBERAMMERGAU 

All  that  follows  is  as  related  in  the  Gospels. 
The  soldiers  cast  lots  for  the  garments,  the  priests 
taunt  their  victim  :  "  He  saved  others.  Himself 
he  cannot  save."  As  they  call  to  him  to  come 
down  from  the  cross,  since  he  is  "  the  Son  of 
God,"  he  says,  *•  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do,"  and  to  the  thief  on 
his  right,  who  begs  Christ  to  remember  him  when 
he  comes  into  his  Kingdom,  "  This  day  shaft 
thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise."  When  Jesus  sees 
his  Mother  and  the  disciple  whom  he  loved 
standing  near,  he  says  :  "  Woman,  behold  thy 
son  !  Son,  behold  thy  Mother."  He  cries  in  tones 
of  anguish,  "  Eloi !  Eloi  !  Lama  Sabachtani,"  and 
a  moment  later,  bowing  his  head,  "  It  is  finished. 
Father,  unto  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit." 

Darkness  falls  and  the  earth  trembles.  When 
word  is  brought  to  the  priests  that  the  veil  of  the 
Temple  has  been  rent  in  twain,  they  hurry  away, 
but  soon  return  to  claim  the  body.  At  this  mo- 
ment Joseph  of  Arimathea  enters  with  a  servant 
of  Pilate,  who  says,  "  I  have  orders  to  inform  you 
that  the  body  is  to  be  delivered  over  to  this  man 
as  a  gift  from  the  Prefect."  The  priests,  furious 
at  this  rebuff,  make  a  further  attempt,  but  the 
centurion  upholds  the  order  of  Pilate.  After 
taking  down  the  bodies  of  the  thieves,  they  all  go 
off,  leaving  Mary  and  her  friends  at  the  foot  of 
the  cross. 


o 


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O 

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O 

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o 


so 


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THE  PRODUCTION  79 

Now  follows  one  of  the  most  moving  and  im- 
pressive scenes  of  the  Passion  Play,  the  descent 
from  the  cross.  It  is  in  some  respects  like  the 
celebrated  painting  of  that  name  by  Rubens. 
Throughout  the  auditorium  there  is  a  silence  that 
can  be  felt  as  Joseph  of  Arimathea  and  Nicodemus, 
standing  on  ladders  placed  against  the  cross, 
gently  remove  the  crown  of  thorns  and  the  nails. 
Then  by  means  of  a  long  linen  cloth,  passed 
across  the  chest  and  under  the  arms,  Nicodemus 
slowly  lowers  the  body  to  the  arms  of  Joseph  of 
Arimathea,  who,  saying  :  "  O  sweet  holy  burden  ! 
Come  upon  my  shoulders,"  tenderly  receives  it. 
Assisted  by  John  and  the  others,  he  reverently 
lays  it  at  the  knee  of  the  sorrowing  Mother.  They 
then  anoint  the  body  and  carry  it  away  to  the 
tomb.  The  whole  scene  is  portrayed  with  the 
utmost  love  and  devotion. 


Representation  XVII 

The  Resurrection 
The  Chorus  of  Protecting  Spirits  appear  again  in 

bright  mantles. 
Action.     Christ  rises.     The  watchers  at  the  grave 
fall  in  awe. 
After  the  address  of  the  Prologus  the  Protecting 
Spirits  sing  a  burial  song. 

In  this  scene,  as  four  soldiers  watch  before  the 


8o  OBERAMMERGAU 

tomb,  an  angel  thrusts  the  stone  away  and  Christ 
appears.  The  soldiers  fall  to  the  ground  in  awe. 
As  they  recover  themselves,  they  see  that  the  grave 
is  open,  and  on  looking  in  hnd  it  empty.  They 
hasten  away  to  inform  the  Pharisees. 


Closing  Representation 

Last  words  of  Frologus 

Rejoice,  O  friends,  and  return  home,  fortified 
by  the  great  love  you  have  this  day  beheld.  Fill 
your  hearts  with  adoration  of  Him  who  gave  His 
life  for  you,  and  whose  love  from  heaven  now 
guides  you.  There  reunited  with  our  Saviour  we 
shall  all  meet  again. 

The  Hallelujah  Chorus 
Tableau.     The  Ascension. 

Once  more  the  Chorus  of  Protecting  Spirits  ap- 
pear, and  after  the  closing  words  of  the  Prologus, 
they  sing  a  song  of  victory,  a  hallelujah  chorus. 
During  the  last  verse  the  tableau  of  the  Ascension 
is  shown.  As  the  curtain  falls,  the  chorus  step 
forward  and  in  tones  of  triumphant  rejoicing 
sing  : — 

"  Hallelujah  ! 

"  Praise,  Adoration,  Honor,  Glory  and  Majesty 
be  to  Thee  from  Everlasting  to  Everlasting." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

CLOSING  SCENES  OF  PASSION  SUMMER 

THE  representation  has  lasted  eight  hours, 
during  which  the  interest  has  not  flagged 
for  a  single  moment.  It  has  all  seemed 
real.  The  sun  has  shone  upon  the  players,  the 
breezes  have  lifted  their  hair,  birds  have  flitted 
in  and  out,  and  through  it  all  we  have  seen  the 
blue  sky  and  the  mountains. 

All  who  take  part  in  this  wonderful  drama  have 
the  "rarest  power  of  imaginative  self-surrender." 
They  seem  not  to  be  acting,  but  to  be  living  their 
parts.  Consequently  there  is  never  any  ranting 
or  anything  theatrical  about  them.  All  their 
emotion  is  controlled.  All  the  characters  express 
the  dignity  of  the  Orient  even  in  the  stress  of 
great  excitement  or  anger.  This  is  true  not  only 
of  the  single  characters  but  also  of  the  great 
crowds,  which  gather  and  disappear  with  the 
naturalness  of  real  life,  as  at  the  entry  into  Jeru- 
salem, when  there  are  from  five  to  seven  hundred 
people  on  the  stage  at  once. 

Those  who  saw  Anton  Lang's  Christus  in  1900 
will  remember  with  what  strength  and  dignity  he 
represented    the   sacred    character.      During   the 

81 


82  OBERAMMERGAU 

whole  eight  hours  of  the  Play  in  which  he  was  the 
dominant  figure,  in  the  first  part  by  his  warm,  hu- 
man, lofty  utterances  and  action,  in  the  second  by 
his  eloquent  silence,  there  was  nothing  to  offend 
the  most  sensitive  religious  feeling.  Through  it 
all  he  expressed  the  Christ  qualities  as  they  are 
pictured  in  the  New  Testament :  dignity,  strength, 
gentleness,  tenderness,  humility,  love,  gratitude 
for  affection,  compassion,  forgiveness. 

That  this  representation  brings  home  to  those 
who  witness  it  the  truths  of  the  New  Testament 
as  books  or  sermons  could  never  do  has  been 
testified  to  by  many  people.  In  1900,  after  one 
of  the  representations,  I  was  interpreting  for 
an  English  clergyman.  His  eyes  were  swollen 
from  weeping.  Evidently  much  moved  by  the 
Play,  he  told  me  he  had  come  all  the  way  from 
Australia  to  see  it,  but  that  when  he  reached 
England  his  friends  there  had  tried  to  dissuade 
him  from  coming  to  Oberammergau,  saying  that 
the  people  were  giving  the  Play  from  mercenary 
motives.  "  But,"  he  added,  "  having  come  so  far 
I  decided  to  come  the  rest  of  the  way  and  see  for 
myself.  How  thankful  I  am  that  I  came !  Never 
have  I  realized  the  reality,  the  truth  of  the  New 
Testament  narrative  as  I  do  to-day  !  "  Another 
witness  said  to  me :  "  After  seeing  the  Passion 
Play,  one  can  never  be  the  same  again.  Life  has  a 
new  meaning."    Still  another  writes  :    "  To  describe 


JOHANN    LaN(} 

A  leading  spirit  in  Oberammergau  during  liis  wliole  life.    In  1900, 
burgomaster  and  director  of  Passion  Play.    Died  June  17, 1900. ' 


CLOSING  SCENES  83 

in  detail  the  scenes  of  this  drama  is  no  easy  task. 
To  convey  a  true  idea  of  it  in  words,  or  to  form  an 
adequate  conception  of  its  simple  grandeur  with- 
out personally  seeing  it,  is  impossible.  It  was  a 
sight  which  no  man,  whatever  may  have  been 
his  education  or  his  religious  opinions,  could  look 
upon  without  some  feeling  and  without  carrying 
away  a  deep  and  lasting  impression,"  Luther  in 
his  "  Table-Talk  "  says  :  "  These  representations 
strike  the  imagination  of  the  people  through  their 
eyes,  and  move  them  often  far  more  than  public 
preaching." 

The  one  sad  day  of  the  summer  to  those  who 
take  part  in  the  Play  is  that  on  which  the  last  per- 
formance is  given.  All  through  the  day  traces 
of  tears  are  seen  on  their  faces.  When  it  is  over 
and  they  go  back  to  their  dressing-rooms  to  lay 
aside  their  beloved  garments,  they  give  vent  to 
their  sorrow.  Many  feel  that  when  the  next 
Passion  summer  comes  they  will  not  receive  the 
same  roles,  and  some  ask  themselves  if  in  ten 
years  they  will  be  alive. 

On  the  morning  following  the  last  performance 
a  service  of  thanksgiving  is  held  in  the  village 
church  at  nine  o'clock.  From  here  the  villag- 
ers all  go  to  the  Passion  theatre,  where  an 
address  is  made  by  the  burgomaster.  On  Oc- 
tober  3,    1900,    Josef   Mayr    gave    the   address.' 

1  Josef  Mayr  died  December  i,  1903. 


84  OBERAMMERGAU 

After  relating-  the  history  of  the  vow  and  the  Play 
during  the  centuries,  he  spoke  of  the  happiness 
the  summer  had  brought  to  them  in  their  fulfil- 
ment of  the  vow.  He  ended  the  address  by  ex- 
horting them  all  to  go  back  to  their  work  with 
glad  hearts  and  renewed  zeal. 

Early  the  next  morning  all  of  the  players  and 
many  of  the  other  villagers  made  a  pilgrimage  to 
the  Monastery  of  Ettal.  Sebastian  Lang  (Caia- 
phas),  in  the  midst  of  a  band  of  boys  carrying 
banners,  led  the  procession.  After  them  came 
Anton  Lang  (Christus),  surrounded  by  the  young 
men  of  the  village.  Then  followed  in  succession 
the  older  men,  the  Burgomaster  and  Council,  the 
priest  in  robes,  acolytes  bearing  cross  and  candles, 
the  little  girls,  and  finally  the  women.  They  all 
chanted  prayers  as  they  walked  through  the  val- 
ley in  the  fresh  morning  air.  Reaching  the  village 
of  Ettal  at  eight  o'clock,  the  people  held  a  brief 
service,  and  at  its  close  the  procession  filed  past 
the  high  altar  on  which  was  the  sacred  image  of 
the  Madonna  brought  so  long  ago  from  Italy. 

Two  weeks  after  the  Play  was  over  the  village 
showed  few  traces  of  the  streams  of  people  who 
had  been  pouring  through  it  for  five  months. 
The  men  who  had  worn  the  robes  of  kings  and 
priests  and  disciples  had  donned  their  working 
garb  and  were  living  the  devout  and  faithful  lives 
that  enable  them  to  give  their  marvellous  drama. 


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